Forget Me Not
by Kayson3259
Summary: Shortly after graduating high school, Spencer has a set of twin girls. Knowing she can't take care of them, she convinces Toby to give the girls up for adoption and go separate ways. They both agree to disengage themselves from the girls' lives for seventeen years. As seventeen years shortly end, the four cross paths again.
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note:_** _Hey! This is my first fanfiction I've published, and I'm hoping you'll like it. I'm going to stop typing. Just read on, and I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

**Prologue**

"She looks like you. They both do," he whispered quietly.

She looked inside the nursery to two little baby girls wrapped in pink blankets.

"Do you want to keep her?"

She looked away, staring at the sweater she was wearing. It had a snag. "No." She couldn't look him in the eye. She couldn't look at the baby girls, either. It hurt too much.

"Spencer…are you sure?"

Spencer looked down at the hospital's tile floor. The hardest part was…she _didn't_ know. But she did know that she couldn't provide the best life for them. Now that she was cut off from her family financially…she was only just out of high school. She was nowhere ready to start raising not just one, but two children. Even though she loved their father…she knew she couldn't be that selfish.

With a heavy heart, she replied, "Yes."

He looked at his daughters with his blue eyes. "Are you going to name them before they're adopted?"

He was answered with silence. "Spencer?"

"I can't think of any." She sighed as she put her head on the glass separating her and her daughters. She gathered the courage to look at them. She finally came up with one. "Dianna. It means beautiful and divine," Spencer explained.

"I like the name Analeigh. It was my aunt's name," he responded.

Spencer turned away from her daughters. "Toby…I know you must hate me right now. But we can't give them everything they need…they'll be better off this way, as much as it hurts."

Toby looked at her kindly with his aquamarine-blue eyes. "I could never hate you. And I understand…but I don't want to regret it later on. I don't want you to, either," he said, taking her hand.

She turned back to the nursery again. She let go of his hand and walked away. Toby, however, remained. He took a final look at their daughters, who, at this point, seemed like the only things that they would ever call theirs.

* * *

**Chapter One**

The slim, athletic beauty was sitting despondently, watching people in the school courtyard. She was waiting for her friend, Alison. All of a sudden, Alison, a fiery redhead with bright green eyes, sat down.

"Ava! You're coming over today, right?" Alison enquired.

"Anything to escape my screwed up family," she replied.

"Come on, _Dianna. _Don't be that way," Alison replied, with Dianna wincing in disgust at the use of her real name. She hated the name _Dianna._ It seemed to promise a life of success and wealth; it was champagne and pearls and cashmere in a world of box wine, coal, and burlap. It was something extravagant, when Dianna obviously _wasn't._

People tended to argue on that last statement. People she met often claimed she was something special, and mostly due to her eyes.

Dianna Ava Cavanaugh had some of the prettiest eyes ever known to mankind; they were a rich, deep brown, but there were flecks of sapphire, cobalt, and aquamarine. Even her foster parents, who hated her, said they were her one redeeming physical quality, calling her an "ugly duckling". Despite that, many people thought she was beautiful, with long, wavy chestnut hair and her gorgeous, breathtakingly elegant beauty.

* * *

Somewhere, not even fifty miles away, in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, one Miss Analeigh Maria Rose was typing away on Apple's newest iPhone. She snapped her pink bubblegum without a single care in the world. She had "the life"; summers on the beach, walks along the Seine, Pradas in every single color. What more could she want?

_Nothing_, thought Analeigh. _This is who I am; I don't want to be anybody else. Nobody is going to take this away from me. _Because of Analeigh Rose wanted something, she got it, without a single question asked. Analeigh got what she wanted.

There was always a small part of Analeigh which longed for answers, though. But Analeigh wasn't stupid—she knew that answers came at a price. Once something as big as the answer Analeigh had wanted was revealed, there was no way things could ever be the same again.

In turn, Analeigh wondered and wondered, suffering at the prospect of being oblivious to all the answers when they could be lurking right before her.

She had known that she was adopted long before she actually realized the mystery that word entailed. When she actually realized how she was separated from her birth parents at such an early age, she grew very curious; she never actually followed through on her curiosity, though. She was too scared to find the truth—sometimes you _are_ better off with a good lie, even if that lie could be your entire life.

She put her phone down. With a loud sigh, she rolled over on her bed to look up at the ceiling of her bedroom. _Could this day get any more boring?_

All of a sudden, the doorbell rang. She ran downstairs to answer it. She found it to be her friend Olivia. Olivia, making herself at home immediately, threw her jacket on the loveseat in Analeigh's living room and rushed to her room. She sat on the bed. Analeigh followed after her, her socks proving the floors to be very slippery. Olivia stared at her.

"What?" asked Analeigh.

"Show me what you're wearing to this birthday party extravaganza of yours next week. I've heard it's gorgeous and completely Analeigh," Olivia said eagerly.

Analeigh smiled. In the back of her closet, in a gray dress bag, was an aquamarine sequined dress. Olivia's jaw dropped.

"That'll look perfect on you. It'll bring out the blue in your eyes…" Olivia trailed off, touching the dress. Analeigh rolled her eyes at the saying which was now clichéd to her.

She said, "That's what everyone says."

"It's true! Whoever gave you those blue eyes should be considered a hero in my book. The only person who has more beautiful eyes than you do is Tammin Sursok. She has emeralds for eyes," Olivia added. Analeigh nodded, not offended by any of that. "So have you continued to look for your parents? It's been seventeen years," Olivia reminded her.

Analeigh nodded. She remembered how in her adoption contract, her parents made her biological parents agree not to look for Analeigh for at least 17 years. With her 17th birthday soon approaching, Analeigh knew she was not shielded for much longer. Some part of her wished for her parents to start looking for her, but Analeigh was pretty sure that it wouldn't happen.

"Hello? Earth to Analeigh. Are you there?" Olivia questioned, bringing Analeigh out of her thoughts.

"Sorry." Analeigh paused for a moment. "I don't know. I want to know, but I don't want to get hurt." She thought for another minute. "I wonder if my mom is pretty…"

Suddenly, it looked as though Olivia had an epiphany. "I have an idea. Where's your laptop?"

Confused, Analeigh pointed to her desk. A pink MacBook was sitting there. Olivia picked it up and brought it to the bed. Analeigh leaned over her shoulder to see what she was typing into the search engine. A second later, a website header for an adoption website popped up.

"What are you doing?"

Olivia responded with silence. Then, she spoke. "The choice is yours."

Analeigh looked at the screen, frightened. Reluctantly, she began answering the questions. Breaching the agreement (since she was only 17), she waited anxiously, digging her fingernails into her flesh. Her heart stopped for a moment, nervous about what the results would hold. Even if it was just for a mere moment, the suspense was killing her. The website loaded, and there were a few matches, about twelve to be exact. One of them was a _Spencer Hastings._

"Which one do you think it is?" Olivia asked.

Analeigh shook her head. "I don't know."

* * *

And, not even a mile away, in the other side of Rosewood, sat Spencer Hastings. Hanna, her high school friend, sat across from her. They were roommates. Both were typing away: Hanna going online shopping (her guilty pleasure), Spencer preparing a lesson plan. She had just gotten a job teaching at Rosewood High School. She was the new French teacher.

"So…what's your whole stance on the whole leather versus pleather debacle? Does saving a cow's ass really outweigh the look and feel of real leather?" Hanna questioned, looking up from the computer screen. Spencer looked up and gave her that look; the one which tells you to stop talking, that was a stupid question.

"Hanna. Are you really asking me this?"

"I needed a second opinion! I need to know for my store!" she protested.

After graduating from Parsons School of Design in NYC with honors in History of Polka Dots, Hanna had moved back to Rosewood. She was setting up her own boutique. It would be a quaint, charming little thing in Rosewood Town, right in the center of all the drama. Hanna was debating what to call it, not knowing whether paying homage to Alison was distasteful. She wanted to name the store, _Ali's Secrets._ It was secretive and intriguing, but not stupid and clichéd. The store was opening in just a week, and Hanna was giddy like a schoolgirl.

"Pleather. The last thing you want is PETA shoving you with a thousand lawsuits because you dared to order shoes with the tiniest bit of cow on it."

Hanna nodded. She continued typing. Spencer soon realized what date was approaching. Soon enough, it would be October 16th. This meant that 17 years ago, she had given birth to two daughters, whom she had no clue in the world where they could possibly be. She and Toby had signed an adoption contract for one of their daughters which made them keep quiet until their 17th birthday. Time was up.

Spencer's stomach did a tiny flip-flop and she wondered whether her daughters would even want to have anything to do with her. It sure felt as though Toby didn't. A mere two years later, he had left. She couldn't remember exactly how everything went—she drowned her own woes in the liquid courage otherwise known as alcohol. The entire three years between 18 and 21 were a haze. To think of it, Spencer couldn't even remember how she managed to get her hands on the alcohol.

Sure enough, after Toby had left and Hanna came back from New York, Hanna encouraged her to stop, as the alcohol would just ruin her. And for 14 years, she had been sober, not even wanting to touch the drink, as she had come to accumulate quite a distaste for it.

"But you're helping me on opening day, right? I need you, Spence. You and your anal organizing ways. I can't do it without you," Hanna claimed, breaking Spencer out of her recollection. Spencer nodded.

"Can't imagine being anywhere else."

* * *

_And that was my fanfic! And...I don't know what to say anymore. More to come next week! Please review! _**_-Kayson_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:**__ I'm so glad you guys enjoyed my first chapter! And to address how this seems a little bit like The Lying Game...I realized that before, but don't worry; I'm not going to copy Sara Shepard's genius or anything like that. Dianna and Analeigh probably won't trade places, and as of right now, there's no A-like scenario. _

_This chapter is centered around Analeigh a bit more, but Dianna will have more of a story coming up. Toby will also appear sometime soon. I didn't forget about him, but I like him being somewhat of a mystery :)_

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Dianna threw her bag on Alison's bed. Alison opened her slow, old laptop. Alison, like Dianna, didn't have much, but Dianna still envied her. Unlike herself, Dianna saw Ali as…pretty. She also knew how to see the light in things, which Dianna ironically didn't see after being tossed around so many foster homes.

She also envied Alison's family. Her father was a morphine addict who left when she was five, and her mother didn't make a lot of money, but at least her mother cared enough to actually feed Alison. Dianna couldn't remember the last time that she had found anything to eat in her own house. The cupboards were empty, with cobwebs growing in them; the fridge was almost always empty, except for a single lime that nobody in her house even dared to touch. The only thing that was ever stocked was the liquor cabinet. Dianna couldn't remember a single day which Heather, her foster mother, didn't down a bottle of vodka (her favorite) and smoke a pack of cigarettes. Dianna found it utterly disgusting, and often took refuge in Alison and her mother's two bedroom apartment.

Alison's small bedroom overlooked the highway, which was safer than a lot of spots in Reading—hardly a day passed where Dianna didn't hear of one mugging or another stabbing. The walls, however, could fool you. Alison was extremely artistic, and every single thing she made at school, all the way from the eighth grade, found a spot onto her walls. Fabric she acquired from scraps of the school play costumes also became curtains, among other things. Alison was a poor man's Martha Stewart.

"What are you doing, Al?" Dianna asked her curiously.

"I don't know. You need to get out of here, though. My mom and I are going to Philly for some work thing she has to go to. Wanna come?"

Dianna considered it for a minute. It would certainly beat staying in the house with her two foster parents on her birthday…

"Sure. If you're sure your mom won't mind," I added.

"Of course not. You're like her second daughter." Alison turned back to the computer. She then turned to Dianna. "Hey, I know you hate the name Dianna and you like Ava. What about Cavanaugh?"

Dianna thought for a moment. "I like it. I mean, I know it's not typical, but I guess that's the good thing. One day, when I meet my real parents, it's not going to be like me running around like crazy, testing a thousand Smiths to see which one is mine."

"Do you know if that's your mom or dad's last name?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I think it's my dad's, but I'm not sure."

Alison looked at her for a moment later. Then, she typed _Cavanaugh Pennsylvania _into Google. She got some interesting results. "This one's a doctor…architect…lawyer…drug addict…go with the architect," Alison commented. Dianna nudged Alison aside and clicked images, just to see if anything would come up. One was really old…like seventy. The next one was a mug shot. Another was a weird lawyer photo, all cheesy and smug. The last was a normal looking guy…who kind of looked like her.

"Do you think that's him?" Ali asked. Dianna just stared at the photo. "That's the architect."

Without a moment of hesitation, Dianna went back to the web results, clicking on the architect. She jotted down his phone number, e-mail, address (Philly), and his name…which was Toby Cavanaugh.

"So do you think that's him?" Alison pulled Dianna out of her own thoughts. "You guys kind of look alike." Ali was right. The similarities were indisputable. The flecks of blue in her irises looked identical to the shade of his pale and icy eyes. She had a cleft chin, just like he did, except maybe not so strong. Her hair had the same streaks of light brown/dirty blond.

"Maybe…" Dianna trailed off. She laid down on the bed, staring up, thinking about the man with blue eyes who could just be her father.

* * *

Analeigh stared at the ceiling. It was hand-painted, a job done by one of her mother's friends. She had sketched and painted a starry night onto the ceiling. It wasn't noticeable when someone just walked in; you had to be lying directly beneath it. It hovered over the middle of her canopy bed, with the cloth concealing the secret painting from all other angles.

Across the room, a beep came from her phone. Sighing, she got up to get it. She looked at her notification. It was a text from Olivia.

_Grille at five? Selena wants to come with._

Analeigh smiled at the text, answering:

_ Sure. Haven't seen her in forever._

Analeigh looked over at the clock sitting on her nightstand. _4:45._ Analeigh decided it would be better to leave now, as not to keep Olivia waiting…it was only fashionably late when _she _was the one keeping people waiting. Analeigh rolled her eyes at the thought. She took her coat and got up to leave.

Autumns in Rosewood were so pretty. Analeigh smiled as she walked over the crisp, colorful leaves on the lawns of the aged, quaint houses which lined the streets. The sun beat down on her hair. Her pace slowed, wanting to take in the autumn air. It was chilly, but not so she had to wear a heavy jacket; it was just enough to take out the fuzzy boots and sweaters.

The little bell jingled as she walked into the Grille. Selena and Olivia were sitting in a corner booth, probably catching up. Selena had recently switched schools, going from their private school to the public school, Rosewood High. It wasn't quite so often which they were able to meet with Selena.

Upon seeing Analeigh, Selena got up to hug her.

"Is it just me, or have you grown?" Analeigh questioned. Selena rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

Selena was a tiny girl, probably only standing at just over five feet, which one could never be certain about due to her omnipresent heels. She had the darkest brown hair, dark chocolate eyes, and olive skin. She had a very round face and a slight dimple on her left cheek when she smiled. She often took offense to the short jokes made about her, which were quite frequent.

"Are you excited for your birthday?" Selena asked her.

Analeigh nodded. "It's next weekend. I can't believe it. You're coming to my party, right?"

Selena nodded. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Analeigh internally hoped there were other people who wouldn't miss it.

* * *

Spencer began setting boxes down as she walked into Hanna's new boutique. One wall was painted a dusty rose; another was pure white; one was a cool, dark gray; the last was an eccentric yellow. It sounded like it wouldn't work, but strangely, it did.

Hanna was in front of the wall, directing some guys she had helping her with the store. She was debating whether or not the picture frame's bottom edges were _perfectly _parallel with the wall trimming. Spencer walked over to her.

"I think it might be a little lower on the right," Hanna said to them.

"No, it's perfect. Trust me; I would notice," Spencer declared. Hanna nodded, backing up and seeing it was perfectly straight.

"I can't believe that it's opening tomorrow. You're helping, right? I can't do it without you. I need your persuasiveness," Hanna declared.

"Sure thing, Han."

Hanna began opening the boxes, and began dressing the mannequins. She looked up to Spencer, who was too lost in the beauty of the store to realize Hanna practically disappeared behind shoes.

"Would it be too expected of me to practically douse this poor mannequin in this dress?" Hanna asked, referencing a dress which was the bright Jungle Red hue of Alison's.

Spencer shook her head. She replied, "It'll be perfect. This is Alison's closet."

"Well, it's also Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer's closet. The name is just homage to Ali. Now, help me find something that practically screams, Miss Aria-I-Think-Rocks-Are-Jewelry-Montgomery. And then help me find something you'd wear after your whole diamond plaid phase."

Spencer laughed, digging deeper into some boxes.

* * *

Hours later, Spencer and Hanna were completely done prepping everything for the opening the next day. It was breathtaking, how far they'd come. Jewelry was perfectly arranged in the back part of the store, with vintage looking mirrors. The seamlessly matched clothes racks were tastefully dispersed all around the store. Personal photos were placed along the back wall, with one of Alison's favorite quotes:

_"Take it from me—you're always better off with a really good lie. –Alison DiLaurentis, 1994-2009"_

The memory of Alison saying that still burned in Spencer's ears; she even recalled hearing CeCe say it and thinking of Alison. However, taken out of context, it fit in perfectly with the store's theme. Alison was the ultimate keeper of secrets.

"She would be so proud of you, Hanna."

"Please. She would've already beaten me to the punch, Spence," Hanna reminded her, and the two girls let out a slight laugh, blotting out the negative connotations that quote had.

* * *

_And there you have it! Please review, follow, favorite, or whatever it is you do! Or don't! Ha ha! I just wanted to say, I probably won't be uploading new chapters daily, probably more on a weekly basis, but I will do my best to give you an update every week. I'm thinking Monday updates, starting this Monday, since we all need a little pick-me up for the dreaded Mondays :) __**-Kayson**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: **__I just want to let you all know that I'm being super, super nice, uploading another chapter today. I will try my best to upload another on Monday. I was just encouraged by what you guys have written. I know it's only 4 reviews, and it's certainly not a lot compared to the 166 or so that some people have, but it's very encouraging to know you guys like my writing. It means a lot. Consider this a thank-you present/reward for being so awesome. I present Chapter Three!_

* * *

**Chapter Three**

"Tall skinny mocha frappachino with whipped cream and venti caramel macchiato?" the barista behind the counter of The Brew asked. Analeigh's head shot up when she heard hers and Olivia's order. She walked up to get it, returning to Olivia examining the biscotti before her. Analeigh placed the caramel macchiato in front of her.

"Thanks, A," Olivia said, accepting this with the large straw.

Analeigh slipped in the seat in front of Olivia. "So where are we shopping today?" she asked.

Olivia paused for a moment, considering all of the options. "That new little shop right around the corner looked cute when I was walking here. I think it just opened today. But they had the _cutest_ heels in the window, which I totally wanted to wear later to Philly…" Analeigh began to zone out of what Olivia was saying.

"Sure. Let's go," she said, interrupting Olivia mid-sentence. She got up and took her frappachino with her. Olivia was frozen for a split second before she registered what was going on.

"Wait! Analeigh!" Olivia called after her.

Outside, Olivia managed to catch up to Analeigh, whose long legs and small heels allowed her to take huge strides. Olivia, in comparison, took tiny steps, adjusting to the heels she was wearing.

About two minutes later, they got to Ali's Secrets.

* * *

Inside, Hanna looked excited as they first came in. Spencer, too busy trying to tame her OCD, didn't pay them any attention.

Hanna walked up to Olivia and Analeigh confidently. "Welcome to Ali's Secrets. Can I help you guys with anything?" she asked.

"We're just looking around for now," Olivia declared. Analeigh immediately gravitated towards the Alison/Hanna-centric part of the store, as did Olivia.

"What do you think of this?" Analeigh asked, pulling a pink chiffon skirt off the rack.

Olivia said with enthusiasm, "Those were made for your legs."

* * *

About an hour and probably twenty-something articles of clothing later, Analeigh and Olivia made their way towards the cash register, where Spencer assisted them.

"Your total is $57.34. Cash or credit?" Spencer asked Analeigh.

"Credit," Analeigh responded as she fished out her credit card. She handed Spencer her shiny black Amex card. Spencer nearly sprawled out on the ground with the ridiculous amount of credit cards this girl had. Then again, they were in Rosewood, Pennsylvania. Spencer swiped it absent-mindedly, only being called to attention when something came up on her screen.

"It's declined," Spencer declared.

Analeigh stared back at her in shock. "What?"

"Do you want me to try again?"

Analeigh nodded and Spencer swiped. Spencer then shook her head.

"It says that this card is unacceptable. Would you like to pay in cash?"

Analeigh looked in her bag. Realizing she didn't have enough money, Olivia looked to pay for her. Analeigh put her hand up, as if to say no. She then realized she had her Debit card on her.

"Try this one," Analeigh suggested to Spencer.

Spencer swiped, and it finally cleared. She turned the screen around, which allowed Analeigh to place in her PIN number. Spencer looked at the name on the card. _Analeigh Rose._ Where did she know that name from?

"Perfect," Spencer said, exhaling. Hanna let out a quiet giggle from the corner. She took over Spencer's place as Olivia put her stuff on the counter.

"Shopping spree?" Hanna asked the two girls.

"How did you know?" Olivia asked with a mischievous smile.

"I can practically read into what anyone buys at a store like this. And judging by the amount you girls are spending _and _the things, I take it one of you either just had a birthday or it's coming up soon," Hanna guessed.

Analeigh had a guilty expression on her face. "Guilty as charged."

From across the room, everything clicked into place for Spencer. She realized where she knew that name from. The Roses were the couple who adopted Spencer's daughter, Analeigh. Her birthday was coming up in a week. Suddenly, Spencer felt hot tears building beneath her eyes. She looked back at the girl, who was now laughing with Hanna and her friend. She had seen the similarity in her lips, her hair, her build, but never considered this to be what was really happening. Her breath hitched as she realized how much she just wanted to hold, to touch, to hug her daughter.

* * *

Dianna and Alison were unloading bags from Alison's mother's van. They were staying in some small hotel, but it didn't matter. They were in Philly. It was certainly an upgrade from the seedy, boring section of Reading they lived in. Alison's mother was already off at a nearby hotel, sitting through her convention. Alison and Dianna were going to explore the city. And first order of business? Find food. Second? Find Toby Cavanaugh, whoever he was. They hoped to find those answers. Anxiously, the girls left the hotel room, looking up and down the urban streets.

"I'm starving, Di. Can we go find a McDonald's or something? Alison asked, putting her hand on her small stomach.

Dianna laughed, genuinely smiling. She agreed, "It's a deal. I'm starved."

They walked arm and arm to the closest, cheapest restaurant they could find, which just so happened to be Pizza Hut. As they sat down at the booth, they began talking. Dianna tossed her coat aside haphazardly, a trait she certainly didn't obtain from Spencer.

"Are you excited?" Ali asked vaguely.

"About what?"

"The city. What else?"

Dianna answered in silence.

"Okay. You know what I was actually asking, Di. Are you happy to meet your dad?"

Dianna reconsidered for a moment. She decided she was very sure. "Of course, I am. I'm just scared that he's…going to be angry."

"For the screwed up life you've had, I think you turned out pretty well," Alison quipped. "What if he wants you to get back in his life?"

Dianna took a deep breath. She wasn't sure what she would make of that. She replied optimistically, "It couldn't be worse than my messed up foster family."

They both laughed as the pizza came.

* * *

"Spence, are you absolutely positive that the girl who came in today was your daughter?" Hanna asked cautiously, not wanting to piss Spencer off more than she already seemed to be.

"Her name was Analeigh. Analeigh Rose. It said so on her credit card. The only Analeigh I know was the one who I gave up for adoption. Seventeen years ago to a couple who lived in Oakley, named the Roses!" Spencer shouted. She took a deep breath, realizing how angry her last statement sounded. "I'm sorry, Hanna. But I realized the time on the adoption contract is nearing an end. And I still don't know…if…if I want to look for her and her sister." There was a pregnant pause. Then, Spencer continued, her eyes brimming with tears: "I wanted to tell her, right then and there, that it was me. I'm her birth mother. But I didn't know…if she would be angry. Angry that I gave her up for adoption. It just scares me, Hanna."

Hanna enveloped Spencer in a large hug. Tears were pouring down her face now. Hanna's delicate hands rubbed Spencer's back, and Spencer couldn't help but feel guilty over giving her daughters up for adoption. Not being financially or emotionally ready to take care of two children didn't change the fact that she regretted her decision every day for seventeen years.

* * *

_I will be uploading Chapter Four on Monday! Please review, even if you don't like it. It just gives me a sense of how I'm doing as a writer. But thanks for reading!_ **-Kayson**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:**__ As promised, the fourth chapter of Forget Me Not. Sorry, I would've updated yesterday, but my mom's house doesn't have Wi-Fi :(_

_This chapter contains the return of a very important character, who is my personal favorite on PLL. Also, just a quick fun-fact, in everything that I write, I find a way to include myself, almost like my re-incarnations kind of thing. Can you guys guess who I am? (Hint: she DOES appear in this chapter, and she will appear in future chapters)_

* * *

**Chapter Four**

"What do I say, Alison? 'Hey, I'm your daughter'? I'll sound like a certified lunatic," Dianna said, only half-joking.

"Be yourself, Di. Do you really think, if he's a good person, he's going to care about what you have to say? He'll be exited at the thought of his real, live daughter standing in front of him. You have to go with your gut feeling on this," Alison encouraged.

Dianna took baby steps forward to the building. At this point, she wasn't sure if it was his office or his personal home. But, honestly, she didn't care. She was meeting _her father._

She hesitated before knocking on the door. Again, she lifted her hand to knock softly. She finally mustered the strength to do it. Alison smiled on the inside. They both waited…and waited…and waited. She soon realized (and felt stupid when she did) that the door was open; it must've been his office.

A small framed, anal-looking woman sat behind the secretary's desk. She was wearing a purple blouse, a black pencil skirt, and her brown hair pulled back into a tight bun. She wore black cat-eye glasses. "Can I help you?" she asked sweetly as Alison and Dianna.

Dianna wouldn't answer. She became awfully shy about these things. Also, not anything inherited from Spencer. Alison jumped to her help. "We're here to see Toby Cavanaugh?"

The woman nodded, not at all alarmed by this. "Mr. Cavanaugh is out. He should be back in about fifteen minutes. Would you like to wait in his office?" she asked.

Alison nodded. "If it isn't too much trouble."

"Not at all. Please follow me."

The woman walked the girls into the back, into Toby's office. They sat down in the chairs in front of his desk, which was adorned with blueprints, rulers, and pencils. The corner was littered with crumpled up paper, most likely botched or unreasonable plans.

"I'll send him in as soon as he comes back," the woman declared.

Alison sat, examining her nails. Dianna just stared at her shoes.

"What do I say, Alison?" Dianna finally asked.

"You just have to be blunt about it. There's no sugarcoating. You don't tell him, you rest assured that I will. And you know I will," Alison warned.

Dianna gulped at the prospect. Her stomach was doing a thousand somersaults a minute. She felt sick. A tiny part of her regretted even coming to Philly with Alison. But most of her just wanted him to walk in any minute.

Suddenly, they heard the front door open and close. They both snapped up.

"Is that—"

"It must be."

Both girls readied themselves for what was now inevitable. Dianna straightened her already impeccable posture. She smoothed out the front of her shirt. She patted down her hair, which she figured had gotten frizzy at this point.

Finally, the door opened, and standing before her was the one and only Toby Cavanaugh.

"Mr. Cavanaugh? I'm your daughter," Dianna announced. She looked at Alison, who nodded.

"I'm Dianna."

* * *

"I don't know how you like your world language class, but my teacher makes her French lectures riveting. And she's lobbying to take all of us in her AP French class to France for a week over Spring Break. She says that the best way to learn a foreign language is to visit the country. She said her parents sent her to France every year for a month over summer vacation," Selena explained to Analeigh, who was not listening, except to that last bit.

"Mind if I sneak in your suitcase? Not to better my French. But I hear that France has some very cute guys and I need a leg-up on next season's haute couture," Analeigh explained. Selena gave her a scolding look. "What? It's really important, Selena. I have a status to maintain."

Selena rolled her eyes and went back to her French class. "I'm just really glad I don't have Mr. Bonacieux this year. Ms. Hastings is definitely a step-up."

Analeigh's head snapped up at the mention of a "Ms. Hastings".

Selena didn't notice this. She instead glanced down at her watch. "It was really nice seeing you, Leigh. But I really have to go."

Analeigh looked at her desperately, not wanting to be alone after realizing her mother may be so close. "Where are you going?"

"Ms. Hastings wants us all to meet. We're watching a French movie at the foreign movie theater. I think it's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' done in French," Selena explained.

"I love 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Can I come with?" Analeigh inquired hopefully.

"Since when do you—"

"Come on, Sel. We're going to be late," Analeigh said, grabbing the tiny girl by her wrists and leading her out the door.

* * *

When they arrived at the theater, Analeigh saw about ten other French students. She also saw the same woman who worked as a cashier in the store she and Olivia had gone to earlier.

Selena cut through the small crowd and dragged Analeigh to Ms. Hastings. "Hi, Ms. Hastings," she said, getting Ms. Hastings' attention.

Spencer turned to Selena, utterly surprised to see Analeigh again. "Hi, Selena. And this is…?" she inquired, obviously referring to Analeigh.

Analeigh was crestfallen. _So she doesn't recognize me._

"This is my friend Analeigh. She's taking French at Rosewood Prep, and I told her that we were going to see this movie in French. I also told her about your whole mantra of speaking the language to learn it," Selena said smiling.

Spencer nodded slightly. "Well, you'll have to pay for your own ticket, and I hope you'll be able to get the gist of it all if you've taken conversational French before. But I'm glad that Selena knows someone else who's as eager about the language as she is," Spencer said. She was a Hastings, so her outer layer was icy.

Unfortunately, Analeigh didn't know her that well, and took this as an icy statement from who she was sure was her birth mother.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart. You couldn't be—"

"But I am," Dianna offered tentatively.

Toby looked confused. "No, it can't be. It happened—"

"Nearly seventeen years ago? Next Saturday is my seventeenth birthday. I'm really your daughter. My name is Dianna Ava Cavanaugh," Dianna said, trying to emit more confidence.

She wasn't sure whether the look on her father's face was of sheer surprise, rage, contempt, or excitement. She understood if he was angry, but she hoped and prayed after going through all this trouble, he wouldn't be angry or contemptuous.

The look on his face read that he was anything but.

"Please say something," Dianna pleaded.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you. I didn't want to give you up for adoption…but your mother…she's the smarter one," Toby explained cryptically.

Suddenly, the small secretary gave Toby a message via the telephone. "Mr. Cavanaugh? Denise Lynch is here to see you," she said monotonously.

Toby turned sympathetically to Dianna. "I'm sorry. I need to let this woman in. Can we meet later?"

Dianna gave the slightest of smiles, nodding. Toby wrote down the address to a restaurant on a slip of paper. Somewhat hesitantly, he handed her the piece of paper. "Please meet me here tonight at seven," he asked politely.

Dianna looked at it. _Hinge Café, 2652 E Somerset Street, 7 PM._ For a moment, she contemplated clutching it to her heart, just to make sure this moment was real. It was something she really dreamed about for her entire life. But she didn't think it would be like this. "I'll be there," she answered, breaking the silence.

Reading kindness in his eyes, she was glad when he smiled. Alison and Dianna quickly showed themselves their way in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, Spencer and her students were standing outside the foreign theater, about ready to part. Analeigh had just sat through _Ne tirez pas sur l'oiseau moqueur_, an extremely boring rendition of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ in French. She didn't do it for nothing. She had done it to get closer to her mother.

"I have to go, Analeigh. Want me to walk you back home?" Selena asked.

"No, it's okay. I wanted to meet someone at the coffee shop after, anyway," Analeigh insisted.

"Are you sure? It's no trouble." At this point, Analeigh wanted to smack Selena in the face for being so persistent. She had her birth mother to meet.

"Positive. You, go, Selena," Analeigh urged. Selena walked away without another word.

Soon, it got to the point where only Spencer and Analeigh were standing outside. Spencer broke the silence.

"Were you the girl at my friend's store the other day? Ali's Secrets?" Spencer inquired, carefully.

"That was me," Analeigh answered laconically.

"And your name is Analeigh, right?"

Analeigh nodded. "You're Spencer Hastings, right?"

Spencer was taken by surprise. "How did you know my—"

Analeigh finally turned to Spencer. "You're my birth mother, aren't you? I'm Analeigh Maria Rose. That was the name _you _gave me, wasn't it?"

"It was your father," Spencer blurted out. "Your father gave you the name Analeigh. I settled on Maria. And Rose is obviously from your real mother and father," Spencer said, tapering off.

Analeigh looked a little saddened by Spencer's slight edge in her voice.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. I'm so sorry, Analeigh," Spencer apologized. She paused as she was readying herself for leaving. "You plan it out so many times...fantasize it in your head, and it ends up so differently," Spencer whispered to herself.

"Did you regret it? Giving me up for adoption?" Analeigh was certainly curious to know, but not knowing whether she was stepping into shark-infested waters.

"No," Spencer answered, seemingly convinced. Analeigh was crestfallen. "Then yes. And no again." Analeigh took a deep breath, hoping it would expel all of the pain she had inside her heart right then. "And then, so, so much. I realized giving you up for adoption may have been the biggest mistake in my life, Analeigh. I missed out on so much. And when I decided that I was ready to move on…to have a family, or at least try to, I found out. I can't have another baby. When I was pregnant with you…there were…complications. I can't have children again," Spencer explained sadly.

The inexplicable, heartbreaking look on Spencer's crestfallen face was able to jerk tears from anyone's eyes. Analeigh wanted to reach out and hug her, just to tell her that she was here.

"And I loved your father so much…I couldn't even see you, but I knew that you were amazing because of him," Spencer explained vaguely.

"What do you mean?" Analeigh asked shyly.

"Your father was…something else. He had stars in his eyes all the time. He was an amazing, gentle, patient person, and I'm…not. I just hoped that you, wherever you ended up, had those qualities of his and not of mine," she answered. Analeigh gave a tiny smile.

"Can we talk about this? Over coffee or dinner or something? Anything?" Analeigh said, trying to contain the desperation in her eyes. And at that moment, Spencer saw Toby in her eyes.

* * *

_Leave a review! If anyone can come up with my re-incarnation, you have officially earned the title of the awesomest person in the world right now. And I'll make you guys a deal. 5 reviews=an update. I'll try my hardest to update on Wednesday (since that's the only day this week that I don't have a play rehearsal), but otherwise, I promise you an update by next Monday. __**-Kayson**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note:**__ Damn, you guys work fast! Since I am keeping up on my end of the deal, Chapter Five, as promised. I'm warning you though, this is the stuff where CRAP GETS REAL. _

_At this rate, I don't think that I'll be able to keep up with you guys if I post a new chapter every 5 reviews. That being said, I'm upping the ante. 10 reviews, I will update on Wednesday, Friday at the latest. _

_Just in case you were wondering, my reincarnation is Selena. I'm only like five feet tall, much to my friends' amusement, I have really long, brown hair, and my friends also tend to make fun of my extremely round face._

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Dianna walked into the diner. She saw Toby sitting in a booth in the corner. It seemed pretty quiet. Slowly and somewhat reluctantly, she slid into the booth across from Toby.

"You actually showed up," he said.

Dianna smiled somewhat sarcastically. "I could say the same about you," she joked.

"Your mother was like that. She had your same sense of humor," Toby said softly.

"What was she like?" Dianna asked curiously.

"She had…the best smile. She had brown eyes, chestnut-colored hair, and she was tall and thin. She was beautiful."

"Did something happen to her?"

Toby shook his head and looked down at the table. "I don't know. Something changed in her after she gave you up for adoption. She became an alcoholic. I left because I knew she was killing herself. I haven't heard from her in ten years," Toby answered sadly.

Dianna feared the worst, but realized that he didn't explicitly say she was dead. "So, she's still out there? Somewhere? Do you even know where she is?" she asked.

"She's somewhere, but she doesn't want to be found. And when Spencer wanted something…she got it, no questions asked," he explained.

"My mother's name is Spencer?" Dianna asked.

"Spencer. Spencer Hastings. And she named you Dianna. I still remember," Toby said, reminiscing about the day they were both born.

* * *

_"Are you sure that you would like to hold them, Ms. Hastings?" the nurse asked Spencer. _

_"It won't change anything. I just went through all of that. I think I deserve it," she said sardonically. _

_The nurse nodded and sighed, sure Spencer was making a mistake. "As you wish, Ms. Hastings."_

_Toby and Spencer both looked happy as their daughters were brought back to their room. Toby held Analeigh while Dianna was in Spencer's arms. _

_"Spencer, I could set up a—"_

_"No. We really can't, Toby. It doesn't change anything. I'm not ready. Neither are you. We're still both just teenagers," Spencer said, almost scolding his thought. _

_Toby now no longer wanted to hold the daughter that he wouldn't see after that day. "Why did you name her Dianna? I thought you couldn't come up with any names," Toby said._

_"I wanted her to know when she got older…I loved her. And I think she's beautiful, because that's what her name means."_

* * *

Dianna felt hot tears on her eyes and a swelling feeling in her heart. "That's what my name means?" she asked, cutting through the tears and trying to make her voice as steady as possible.

"That's what she wanted you to know. She wanted you to know that she saw you as nothing other than beautiful."

Dianna nodded, citing newfound appreciation for her name as a good thing that came out of this.

She looked down at the place setting, and quickly made the fork and knife perfectly parallel and refolded the napkin so it was two perfect triangles on either side. She then realized how weird this must've looked to her father. "Sorry. I have a touch of OCD when I get nervous," she claimed. Toby nodded, laughing.

"Your mother was the same way. She was a control freak. Easily, the most anal person I have ever met. But she was probably also the smartest."

She smiled. And then another question popped into her head. "How exactly did the adoption work? You signed away your parental rights and then they never found me a family? What happened?" Dianna asked.

Toby looked bewildered, maybe a little angry. "What do you mean, you were never placed with a family?"

"I'd hardly count my foster parents as a family. My foster mother, Heather, is an alcoholic-drug addict combination. I wonder what I ever did to get so lucky," Dianna said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Toby, however, wasn't enthused. He looked more _confused_. "What are you talking about?"

"I've been passed around in the foster system since…forever," Dianna offered.

"That's impossible. Your mother and I found you a family. They were named the Appleby's. I remember because they were the only family your mother would even consider adopting you. Your father was a doctor and your mother was a graduate at Yale Law."

This was clearly new information to Dianna. She was still trying to process it.

"What happened?" asked Toby, cutting through the loud silence. "When you were younger? We have a lot of catching up to do."

She smiled slightly at that. But then she realized what his request just was. "The first foster home I remember was when I was five…it was friendly. Nice, even. Mrs. Finch was probably one of the nicest people I've ever met. Things weren't good, but they were better than they are now. I was there for, like, two years. I remember…I had five other foster siblings. Their names were…Arthur, Julia, Holden, Lo, and Nick.

"Everything changed the night of this huge fire. I think I was eight years old then. The apartment building that we lived in burned down. There was literally nothing left of it. It was all ashes. Lo, Holden, and I were the only three people on the top floor who were able to get out. Child Protective Services came, and we were all separated. I always felt the worst for Lo, though. She was barely even six years old. She didn't understand any of it. And then, I was placed in a house of horrors. It was in…I don't even remember where, but it was hell. The only thing I was thankful for was school. The teachers were nice, but I usually thought not to get too attached to the notion of someone being there for me, unconditionally. Life has a way of ruining a divine human right and taking it away.

"Everything from the ages of eight to thirteen was all a blur. I don't remember it. I just remember coming back to the house, and it didn't matter who I came back to. If I was five minutes later than the foster parent I had at that time wanted me to be, it was a beating. If I didn't do exactly what they wanted me to, it was a beating. If my body couldn't hold down the processed, disgusting food they gave me, you better believe that was a beating. I thought that this was the worst it could get. I was so wrong. Right around when I was fourteen, I moved in with the Rochesters. I think that was their name. If evil had a human form, it came in Clare and Robert Rochester. I don't even remember eating or having a bed or anything like that. I remember sleeping on the hard, cold, wooden floor in what was supposed to be an attic. Sometimes, I used to think it was supposed to be like Cinderella. There was a tiny window you could just make out the town church's bell tower in. I kept nothing in that room, because I knew that whatever was in there would break and they would eventually find it. I kept every single thing that had value to me buried under a tree near the small, green lake."

Dianna was silent for a moment, remembering the mossy green water. "I had…a box, which I think was a shoe box. Inside of it, I had a golden locket, a tiny doll, probably about the size of my finger, and a blue ribbon. As I kept moving and moving, I added to it, to the point the shoe box was pretty heavy. But I used to sneak out there every Saturday night, since I knew they would be out gambling or something. I used to sit by the lake and watch the moon, thinking about when things would get better, and remembering when I was young and everything was fine. I wasn't scarred, and I was still innocent."

Toby looked sorrowfully at his daughter. He stammered, trying to come up with a response. "W-what made them so much worse than all of your other foster parents?"

Dianna looked into her father's piercing blue eyes, which she saw her own in. "Robert raped me. Almost every single day. I was only there for a year, but it might as well have been a lifetime. He told me that if I ever told anyone, he would kill me, and that nobody would care because I was just that. Nobody. After he kept telling me that, I just believed it. I didn't think anybody cared anymore about what happened to me. I didn't have a real family. And, as sick and twisted as it sounds, I felt like somebody might actually have cared about me. I know now that he was sick, and he's evil. But I didn't know that then. Clare, though? Clare was the worst. She watched. She sat and watched him do all of that to me. She would laugh and then smile. She never did anything to help me. Robert was the only one who actually cared enough to even feed me, even if it was food for a pig. All she did…she made it worse. She sometimes made me throw up. I can't even describe it without becoming sick. And she did one more thing to me. It made me feel like an animal. She branded me. I thought these kinds of things only happened in movies, but they didn't. I remember how hot the metal feels on your back. She put it on my shoulder blade. I know she was a Neo-Nazi. Since I can't see my back, I don't remember exactly what the brand is, but I think it's an Othala Rune.

"Things finally got a little bit better. When I was fifteen, I was placed with Heather and her husband. I think his name is George. Even though she can be verbally abusive, I'd take it any day over the beatings and the sexual abuse. Besides, in Reading, I have Alison," Dianna said, finding some hope.

"Alison is the girl who was with you today?" inquired Toby.

"That's her. I've been best friends with her for two years."

"What happened to your rule about not getting too close?"

"I threw it out the window. I realized, I was only two and a half years away from being an adult, and Heather wasn't about to ruin her Child Support checks spent on vodka and cigarettes just to beat me up. Even though I was probably in one of the worst neighborhoods in Pennsylvania, I felt safer than I ever had. I had a family in Alison and her mother," Dianna explained, her multi-colored eyes shining. "Alison is so sweet. She's opinionated, and she pushes a lot, but it's usually all to help. Like today, when she pushed me to find you," she explained.

Toby took a deep, shaky breath. "I guess we both owe her a thank-you."

Dianna nodded in agreement. "Are you mad?" she asked hesitantly.

"Why would I be mad?"

"I don't know…disappointed? That I'm not as pretty or fun as you would probably want a daughter? It's not like I've ever had practice for this, or anything?"

"No," Toby said, his voice in a tone suggesting this was nonsensical. "I'm so glad you found me. I wanted to keep you. I told you that. Had I known things would end up like this for you, I would've. If I could go back…I would. Without a question," Toby said.

Suddenly, his thoughts shifted to his other daughter. What had happened to her? He remembered how he and Spencer had found another family to give Analeigh to. But he had no idea what had happened to her in seventeen years. He didn't know what happened to Spencer in the last fourteen or so, either.

Almost as though she was reading his thoughts, Dianna cut through them. "What are you thinking about?" she asked innocently.

"Your mother. And your sister," he admitted.

_I wonder how they are, too,_ thought Dianna. Then, her mind did a double-take. _Wait. Sister? _"What sister?" she asked.

"Your mother was pregnant with twins. Somewhere, you have a twin. Her name is Analeigh."

* * *

Almost in mirror image, the same type of scenario was happening at the Rosewood Grille in Rosewood.

"Have I missed a lot?" Spencer asked, hoping to relive a family through Analeigh.

"Just your typical, run-of-the-mill, seventeen years of events," Analeigh said, only half-joking.

Spencer nodded, immediately feeling stupid and guilty. "I really just don't know what to say. It's a question even Spencer Hastings can't answer," she added, giving a slight smile.

"That sounds like something I would say," Analeigh smiled.

"Please tell me something, Analeigh. I know you probably think I don't deserve it, but it doesn't make me any less curious or persistent," Spencer said.

"I know about the contract you had to sign. I understand. My parents are good people, but they're…emotionally unattached. They don't have a heart; they have a brain," Analeigh claimed.

Spencer shook her head, suddenly recalling her childhood. "If you had lived with my parents…they disapproved of everything I did," Spencer explained. "If it wasn't a part of their five-step plan to get me into an Ivy League, it wasn't allowed."

Analeigh shook her head. "That must've sucked."

"Completely. And when I had you…you should've seen the look on their faces. I think that if I wasn't as pressured into giving you up for adoption, and if they actually supported the idea, I would've kept you. I sometimes wish that they did. But then I think that it all would've been fake. They didn't want what was best for me. They wanted what was best for them. I'm sure your parents still have your best interests at heart."

"I think my mom more so than my dad." Analeigh traced the rim of the glass of water with her finger.

"My mother was so stern, but much more forgiving than my father. I think for the split second I got him to like your father, he just had an ulterior motive." Spencer thought of Toby in that instant. She got angry when she thought of how easily she let him go. If only she had fought for him…

"That's harsh. What was my dad like? Was he cute?" Analeigh asked, gossipy like a middle-school girl.

"The cutest. He did go through this one phase, though, where he had really long hair. It didn't suit him. But when he got a haircut…I'm surprised that more girls weren't falling all over him. You could just see how beautiful his blue eyes were and it was…enchanting," Spencer said, going off to another world.

Analeigh read that her mother still liked her father. "Have you ever tried to get him back?"

Spencer shook her head. "No. I messed up. I thought he deserved better. And he never came back."

"What?"

"There's a saying," Spencer began, "that when you love something, you set it free. If it comes back to you, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was. I know now we weren't meant for each other, and in some ways, I feel like having the two of you around would emphasize that feeling."

"No, it wouldn't. Maybe it would've kept the two of you together." Similarly to Dianna, Analeigh did a double-take. "What do you mean, 'the two of us'?" she asked.

Spencer shook her head. "Analeigh, you're a twin."

* * *

_Oh my God. I'm picking my jaw up off the floor. _

_As a disclaimer, I haven't read a huge amount of fanfictions on this site, so if I actually was inspired by a certain fanfiction, I will give credit to that writer. I was reading a fanfiction by MamaSpobette, and I realized that we have a lot of weird coincidences. I swear, Spencer's profession and infertility were not taken from her fanfiction "After All That We've Been Through". In my defense, you will eventually find out why Spencer is infertile, and it's not because of a tilted uterus or whatever it is that Spencer has in that story. Some people might think that statement is BS, it's true. However, I do think her ideas are quite interesting and I can't believe someone would be so obvious as to copy exact lines. I don't condone plagiarism, so if I do discover two stories which are the same, I usually side with the older one._

_However, similar starting points (not whole storylines) are a different story. You could consider this story to be like that, kind of like The Lying Game, for those of you who read and watch TLG. Like I said before, though, it won't be very similar aside from the facts that there were twins, one which is wealthy, the other who is passed around foster homes, and they will eventually meet. _

_Like I said, this is just a disclaimer. It's not meant to be a long winded rant. So as a little prize for sitting through that, I will give you a sneak peek of Chapter Six._

"Please don't die. I can't lose someone again," [spoiler] whispered under [their] breath. "Please don't. I love you," [they] whispered hopelessly.

_I'm sorry if I just freaked you out. Sorry to leave with that cliffhanger. I know I'm cruel. __**-Kayson3259**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's**__**Note**__: So, I didn't get those ten reviews I was hoping on, but I decided to update, anyway. I kind of left you guys hanging. I felt pretty guilty. And your comments make me smile. I could use it after draining practice for the school musical. I've been working on the story feverishly for you guys! I hope you enjoy it! Please do comment, it really is helpful in persuading me to write and update._

_In case you didn't realize, which I'm guessing a lot of you didn't, the title of this fanfiction is named off of the amazing (and now disbanded) Civil Wars' song "Forget Me Not". If you've never heard it (it's not a popular song), I highly recommend you do, and check them out. They were beautiful, and it's a shame they're no longer making amazing music :(_

_I've also been in the middle of writing a second fanfiction, this one (also about Spoby) based on the lyrics of Taylor Swift's song "Begin Again". That will probably be posted soon. Crossing my fingers. In case you do see that roaming around, please check that out._

* * *

**Chapter Six**

"What do you mean, 'I'm a twin'?!" Analeigh demanded.

"You and your sister, Dianna, were adopted. Dianna went to some family in Wyomissing. You came here, to Rosewood," Spencer said calmly.

"Did my adoptive parents know that?" she asked, still in a state of shock."

"I don't think so. And even if they did, it's probably better that they didn't tell you. You might have gotten restless, or wanted to run. And seeing as how an amazing girl you are, I'm sure they didn't want that."

Analeigh's jaw was on the ground. Quickly, and on a whim, she ran out of the restaurant and began walking swiftly down the street. It was just too much to handle at the moment. Spencer was frozen for a split second, before she began to chase her daughter. She took off running, not really caring about the fact that she abandoned her jacket or the check.

"Analeigh! Wait!" she pleaded. Analeigh kept walking. Walking into traffic. Out of seemingly nowhere, a black van came, barreling right into Analeigh.

Spencer watched in despair as she relived the entire scenario with Hanna, this time with her own flesh and blood. "Analeigh!" she shouted, going over to her daughter's seemingly lifeless, still body. She felt around her chest for a heartbeat. Some bystanders were paralyzed, while one or two called 911. Spencer frantically performed CPR on Analeigh.

"Please don't die. I can't lose someone again," Spencer whispered under her breath. "Please don't. I love you," she whispered hopelessly.

* * *

"You've never been to someplace like this?" Toby asked, amused. He had brought her to a frozen yogurt bar.

"No. I'll pay for my own frozen yogurt. I'll probably end up getting one that's like twenty dollars," Dianna said to him, bemused by the several flavors of yogurt and the toppings.

"No, it's fine. Get whatever you want," he insisted.

Dianna had a huge sweet tooth. She got red velvet, vanilla, cookies and cream, coffee, and chocolate yogurt. She then went over to the toppings bar. She really wasn't kidding when she said she would binge: brownie bits, strawberries, cookie dough, crushed Oreos, chocolate chips, toffee chips, and marshmallows were all added to her sundae. To top it off, she placed an unhealthy amount of caramel, peanut butter, hot fudge, and whipped cream. It was Dianna's take on an "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink" sundae.

And she was right. The sundae totaled to exactly $21.73 on the scale. Toby settled for a much cheaper sundae, consisting of coffee and chocolate ice cream, toffee and chocolate chips, and peanut butter and hot fudge on top.

Dianna laughed as she shoved the dessert in her mouth, and Toby, despite her already being a teenager, couldn't help but think of her as his little girl. He could hardly believe that this was really the first time they've met in seventeen years. But he really didn't care.

"Can I ask about you now? I'm really sick of talking about me," Dianna announced.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

"About when you were younger. You made me open up, now it's your turn."

Toby sighed. He hated how it seemed anyone related to Spencer (including their offspring) could just ask him a question and he could never refuse. Lies—not that he wanted to use them—would not work, either. Hastings just had a way of cutting through life's BS and getting right down to it. "My life was a cakewalk compared to yours. I don't even know how you can sit through people complain about things after all that's happened to you," Toby said to Dianna.

Dianna got a competitive, determined look in her eyes. "Does that mean you're complaining?"

"My life wasn't easy, but it's nothing compared to yours. Up until today, I didn't consider anybody more unlucky than me."

"You're stalling," she stated.

"When I was probably about fourteen, my mother died. But beforehand, she had been mentally ill, as in, she went in and out of the mental hospital. I became friends with patients and staff there. That was the frequency of me visiting her. We were so close. And then, when she died, my father changed completely. He became…abusive. He kept getting remarried, until he settled on a woman, about a year after my mother's death. She was…friendly. But her daughter, Jenna, was something else. She was sexually abusive. So I understand how you felt. But it was never nearly as bad as your sexual abuse. And there was also this girl, Alison DiLaurentis. Evil took a human form in her. She bullied me and several other kids at school mercilessly.

"One day, Alison was so convinced that I was looking through her window, she ran outside to my father's garage, and threw a stink bomb. She didn't realize that Jenna and I were inside, and it made Jenna go blind. She made me take the wrap for it. Your mother was there that night. I remember her trying to stop Alison, but there was nothing that your mother could do. I was sent to a reform school for a little more than a year. I came back after Alison was murdered. First, I became friends with Emily. I had such a big crush on her. And then I realized that she was a lesbian."

Dianna began to laugh. "You seriously didn't know she wasn't straight?" she asked incredulously.

"She was still in the closet," Toby explained, laughing himself.

"So then what happened?"

"Your mother was so convinced I killed her friends. When she realized I didn't and that I wasn't so bad after all, she befriended me. I realized that I really liked her, as more than a friend. Soon, she realized she felt the same way. But it wasn't easy. Our parents and siblings _hated_ the idea of us being together. They did their best to keep us apart. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. And there was another person, too, but I don't think you would really understand unless you live through it," Toby explained.

Dianna scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You do know I know what sex and affairs are, right?"

"No. It was something a lot darker. Something she dealt with at your age, and I hope you never experience anything like it at any age. It probably took the same emotional toll on her as sexual abuse had on me," he said.

"It was that bad?" Dianna asked, suddenly not so curious anymore.

Toby nodded, confirming her fears. Dianna felt a shiver go up her back. _I can't even fathom something like that. Worse than Robert and Clare?_

* * *

Back in Rosewood, Spencer was pacing back and forth, restlessly, when Hanna came to comfort her in the emergency room. Spencer's tear-stained face gave away her agitation and angst. Hanna enveloped her in a hug.

"Oh, Sweetie," Hanna said. She felt Spencer's body shake violently as sobs overcame her body. "Everything is going to be okay."

Spencer tried to speak in between sobs. "But what if it's not?" She buried her face into Hanna's shoulder. Her coat smelt of the rich scent of Chanel No. 5 Perfume.

"It will be. I promise you, it will be," Hanna assured her.

* * *

Inside the hospital room, Analeigh's eyes fluttered open. She looked up to see her mother, Olivia, and her doctor. He was kind of hot…

Analeigh's mind wandered as Mrs. Rose looked at Analeigh frantically. She wanted to be sure she was really awake, and it wasn't in her own imagination.

"Sweetheart! You're awake!" Mrs. Rose exclaimed.

Analeigh looked around the hospital room, confused. She couldn't quite say why she was here…but her head hurt quite a bit, and Analeigh had a feeling that was a factor in all of this. "What happened? I don't remember…"

"You were in a car accident, A. You were in Rosewood Town, and you ran out into the street. The driver in a van didn't see you, and you were run over," Olivia explained, shaking. Her face appeared to be tear-stained, but she wasn't currently crying.

The doctor cleared his throat. Then, in a cute English accent, he said, "Well, Miss Rose, your test results came back. Your vitals are back to normal, but you did suffer a concussion, a broken wrist, a broken leg, and a bruised rib."

"How do you bruise a rib?" asked Analeigh.

Her question was not addressed. "When will she be able to go home?" Mrs. Rose inquired.

"She should be out of here by Thursday. We just want to make sure everything is really okay, and get her accustomed to using a wheelchair.

"A wheelchair?" Analeigh tried to hold back her complete and utter shock.

"You can't use crutches because of your broken wrist. That cast can probably come off within the next two weeks. It was really only a minor fracture," the doctor claimed.

"We're postponing your party, Analeigh, for another two weeks. I'm sure that your friends will understand," Mrs. Rose announced.

Analeigh nodded slightly, just wanting her birthday to be over and done with. She sighed and settled back into the hospital bed. She only vaguely remembered what had happened before getting hit.

* * *

_Analeigh took off, sprinting towards the door. Her legs felt like Jell-O. Why was she so upset? _

_Hot tears began to fall down her face. She could feel her legs carrying her farther and farther away from the place where she was supposed to go—home. But where was home anymore? She couldn't be sure. But she knew that she wasn't paying her surroundings any mind. She was frozen in the middle of the street._

* * *

Analeigh shuddered, realizing what happened next.

"Analeigh?" a new voice asked. Analeigh realized how long she had been daydreaming, how long she was absent. She rolled over in her bed to see Spencer. Spencer was smiling, almost longingly at her. "How are you feeling?"

Analeigh blinked again, thinking about what she could be doing here. "What are you doing here?" was all she could muster.

"You ran away from me and into the street. And then you were hit."

Analeigh felt Spencer touch her soft, brown hair. Her touch was caring and tender. Still, Analeigh couldn't help but flinch. Spencer was taken aback. "I'm sorry for giving you such big news right then…I should've waited until the time was right."

Analeigh shook her head. "I want to know about my sister," she expressed firmly.

"I know even less about Dianna…I have no idea where she is now. And I hope to meet her again someday, but I don't know where to start…" Spencer trailed off.

Analeigh closed her eyes in sadness, trying to accept this, as well. _Don't get your hopes up too high_, Analeigh reminded herself. _Hope breeds eternal misery._

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Pretty, pretty please, beautiful schlopp with a cherry on top review! Maybe I'll update on Friday, then._ **-Kayson**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: **__I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter! I'm sorry, this chapter is probably going to be a little slower than the others, but I promise that in the next chapter, there's not just one, but two big revelations! Maybe I just might post it later tonight for a few reviews..._

_Thank you so much to the people who reviewed last chapter. I found your reviews to make my day. I'm very glad you enjoyed the plot twist with Analeigh being hit by a car. I assure you that the driver's identity will eventually be uncovered. Just to clear this up, the accident is a presumed hit and run (so the driver didn't stop when Analeigh was hit)._

_And I'm telling you in advance that there's a Hannaleigh scene (as I have decided to dub them), and Hanna and Analeigh together? I ship that._

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

"I can't believe that your father is so cool," Alison remarked, painting a wall with Dianna. Dianna nodded in agreement.

"I've known him for a day and it already feels like years. I feel like his daughter, not like some girl that he just began to talk to. I don't feel out of place. And we kind of just get each other," she agreed. She took some steps back and observed what Alison was doing on the wall. "What the hell are you doing, Al?" she inquired, looking at the random, multicolored streaks all over the wall.

"I'm making it look like a Jackson Pollock. Come on, Di. It looks awesome," she insisted. Dianna couldn't help but agree. It did look pretty cool.

Toby came into the now colorful room. Dianna waited apprehensively for his response to their "masterpiece". She expected him to get upset.

But he wasn't. "This is cool. Did you do it yourself?" he asked Alison.

"Dianna kind of helped. But it was mostly me." Alison replied smugly.

"Where did you come up with the idea?" Toby asked, clearly impressed.

"Jackson Pollock is kind of my idol. He's a genius," she answered coolly.

Toby nodded. "You must be an artist."

She nodded. "Clearly. I don't know of any other type of person who would dye their hair this shade of red. I was thinking of putting in some pink and black highlights. My hair is my canvas, since I'm a wimp who won't ink her body."

Toby laughed. Dianna was glad that Toby seemed to like her. Maybe this transition wouldn't be so hard after all.

"I kind of have my mom to thank, though. She got me into art. She was always into it. She has a piece hanging in the Museum of Modern Art. She painted a lot when she was younger. But her favorite thing to do was draw using charcoal pencil. She loved designing things and drawing people in black and white. She's really good. She drew me as a baby," Alison told Toby.

"She sounds like an interesting woman," he commented.

Ali scoffed. "I wish. Now all she does is sit behind her desk and take notes for her boss. She hates it, but it's the only job that she can touch with a ten-foot pole since she dropped out of high school and has a GED."

Toby nodded.

"Life goes on, I guess," she said, sighing and turning back to her masterpiece.

"Would you two like to go out to dinner? I'd still like to catch up with you, Dianna," he said cautiously. "You can invite your mother if she's not busy."

"No. We wouldn't want to impose on father-daughter bonding time," Alison insisted, speaking for both herself and her mother.

"No, really. It's fine," Dianna said, cutting into what felt like their conversation.

"I'll call my mother," Alison said after a pregnant pause. "May I use a phone?" she asked politely.

Toby nodded. "It's outside, in my office, down the hall," he explained. Alison left, shutting the door behind her with an eerie click.

"You didn't have to do that. Alison is my best friend—" Dianna began.

"—which means that I want to know her, too. She seems like a nice girl," Toby stated, as though he were walking on eggshells.

Dianna nodded. "I get how you want to be my father right now, and I'm glad, but things don't just slide into place. I mean…we have seventeen years to catch up on."

Toby's face fell a little. But then, it brightened, as though he was remembering something. "I know. But there is someone who's meeting us tonight. I think you'll be surprised and you'll enjoy their company," Toby told Dianna.

Dianna's heart began to race. _My mother?_ And then she remembered…he said he hadn't seen her in over a decade. She just hoped that it was someone really important.

"Alison and I probably leave, then. Where do you want to meet?" Dianna asked.

"There's this place called the Capital Grille. It's a seafood and steak place. The address is 1338 Chestnut Street," he told her.

"Okay. When do you want to meet?"

"Six?"

Dianna nodded, secretly extremely happy. _1338 Chestnut Street…1338 Chestnut Street…_

* * *

Analeigh looked out the window of the hospital room, into the blue lake beside the hospital. "Analeigh?" an unfamiliar voice asked from behind her. She turned to see the blond woman who was at the store with her mother. The same woman who was able to figure out her birthday was this weekend.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Sorry. I'm Hanna. I'm your mom's best friend," she offered, extending her hand. She lifted up a pink bag with white tissue paper. "I come bearing bribes."

Analeigh nodded and smirked. _At least she's honest_, she figured. "From Spencer?"

"From me and Spencer. It's her idea of seventeen years' worth of birthday presents," Hanna explained. Analeigh suddenly realized that there were several similar bags, but different colors, sitting on the windowsill.

Analeigh's eyes widened. "Holy shit. How much stuff did she get me?"

Hanna shrugged, not even acknowledging Analeigh's cursing. "I don't know, but don't worry. I helped her pick it out. I knew that if I let her do it, you'd be up to your ears in Mary Janes, diamond plaid, and polo shirts. When I saw you walk over to the sales counter, I breathed a sigh of relief that you took after your Aunt Hanna more so than your mother," Hanna said comically.

"But she looked so put together the other day," Analeigh commented.

"Sweetheart, that's because I pick out her clothes nowadays," Hanna reassured her. Analeigh laughed. "Now, I let her add in her own little touches, but unlike her, I remember being a teenager, so I didn't choose out anything that would utterly embarrass you," she added before opening the pink bag Analeigh first saw.

Hanna lifted out a shimmery Union Jack dress, a la Ginger Spice. "Please tell me you know who Ginger Spice is?"

Analeigh nodded. "Who doesn't know who she is?"

Hanna breathed a sigh of relief. "This is my take on her iconic Union Jack dress. And I think it's adorable. It'll look even cuter with these," she began, picking up a shoe box. Analeigh looked at her curiously. She opened the box and gasped at the bright red heels.

"These are the cutest things ever!" Analeigh exclaimed.

"Spencer never would've picked these out." Hanna thought for a moment. "I should go into becoming a personal shopper," she remarked.

Analeigh sat, in awe of her presents. Despite lying in a hospital bed, it was still one of her best birthdays ever.

Hanna began to bring her presents to her bed, brimming with excitement. Analeigh hated to rain on her parade, but she had a bunch of questions to ask Hanna.

"I know you'll tell me things that Spencer won't," Analeigh began. "Can you tell me about my father? Or my mother when he was younger?"

"What did your mother tell you?" Hanna asked, her blue eyes worrisome.

"She told me that her parents were…emotionally unattached—"

"There's nothing better to describe Veronica and Peter Hastings," Hanna interjected.

"—and she told me how they didn't like the idea of me and my sister screwing up their plans for her to go to an Ivy League. She also started talking about how my dad was cute and it just felt really awkward after that," Analeigh stated.

"Your father had the prettiest blue eyes ever. They kind of looked like mine," Hanna boasted.

"Have you seen my father?" Analeigh asked quietly. "Recently?"

Hanna sighed, as if she was looking through the timeline in her head. "The last time I probably saw him was about five years ago. Some mutual friend's wedding. He was living in Philly, and he seemed to be pretty successful. I didn't really delve into anything deeper. It just felt awkward, seeing how things went down," Hanna explained. She suddenly read the disappointed expression on Analeigh's face. Then, she remembered something.

Hanna began to fish through her jacket pocket for something now. Analeigh watched her curiously. She took out a small box. "Normally, your mother would kill me for doing something like this. Lucky for you, Hanna Marin doesn't give a brown rat's ass what other people say. Hanna Marin does what she wants, when she wants." Hanna handed her the black box. "This is a birthday present from me."

Analeigh took the box apprehensively. She opened it, and Hanna could sense she was holding her breath. Inside was a golden locket necklace. "It's so pretty," she began, looking up at Hanna.

Hanna wasn't so quick. "Um, Missy? You didn't open it yet."

Analeigh smiled and opened the locket. There was one picture of her and her father, the day she was born; another was a picture of Spencer when she was in high school; the third was a picture of Spencer with Toby, Spencer looking very pregnant. The last could've broken Analeigh's heart. The final was a picture of Analeigh and Dianna as children.

"Oh, my God," was all she could muster.

"I left you speechless. I guess I beat Spencer!" Hanna sing-songed. "Let me put it on you, Sweetie," Hanna insisted. Analeigh obeyed, turning around so Hanna could place the locket on her neck.

* * *

Spencer sat, staring at her cell phone. It was so tempting. But at the same time, Spencer knew she just couldn't.

But what if she did? What if she did call? What if he answered?

Spencer watched as the screen, reading _Toby Cavanaugh_, with his telephone number, dimmed, then turned to black. She threw her phone aside, frustrated. _It was a stupid thought, anyway. He probably doesn't even have the same phone number. He probably doesn't even want to hear from me. _She rolled over and her thoughts became toxic. _I bet he's sitting across the table at some romantic restaurant with some skinny, pretty blond, _she thought bitterly. _I bet he doesn't even know who Spencer Hastings is anymore._

_Then again, it seems I've even forgotten who I am. Somewhere along the road, Spencer Hastings got lost. I wonder where she is right now. Maybe I left her behind in California. Maybe she's roaming around in New York or Chicago. Perhaps she's just down the road. All I know is that she's not here._

Spencer looked up into the mirror at her own tear-stained reflection. _All I know is that this isn't the Spencer I used to know. Spencer Hastings would never let herself crack and break._

* * *

_Please don't hate me if it wasn't as interesting as you hoped! Remember! Reviews=an update later tonight! So don't leave that review box hanging! It's just crying, "click me! click me!" as we speak! Here's a little sneak peek of the next chapter, as a little motivation:_

"I don't know what's worse. You lying to [them] or you lying to yourself," [they] said, [their] voice now sodden in disillusionment.

[They] looked genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"

[They] looked at [them] in disbelief. "Don't act like you don't know. A free twenty dollar gift card to [the store] and [they] caved. You told [them] you don't know where [their] [spoiler] is? Bullshit, [], and you know it," [they] said in an accusatory manner.

"It wasn't a complete lie. I told [them] I didn't know where [their] [spoiler] was. That much is true. But I do have an idea of where [they] [are]," [they] announced.

_Sorry about all the [they]s. I just didn't want to give everything away (though I'm sure it's not too hard to figure out)._

_And don't worry, to those of you who are worried that things will just be easy as pie for Spencer and Toby once the family finally meets up again (I guarantee they will). I promise it is about to get twisty and a little angsty (I know that's not a real word, but that's how I'm describing it). _


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: **__By request, I am updating again tonight. I'm really excited to share this chapter with you. I personally feel like the story takes a much darker turn after this one, and I'm quite excited to show you my own mystery. As a head's up, this chapter is pretty long, so I hope you are prepared._

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

Spencer was right when she said Toby was sitting across from a pretty blond. Alison's mother had long, wavy dirty-blond hair. But Toby was also sitting across from Alison and Dianna. He was waiting for the infamous mystery guest to arrive.

Dianna drew swirls in the condensation on her glass of water. The tension in the room was so thick; you could cut it with a knife. She began drawing smiley faces, then wiping them away.

"Can you please just tell us who the mystery guest is?" she asked, cutting through the silence.

Toby laughed at her anxiety. "No! That would ruin all the fun. Besides," he said as he looked past the three women to the door. "She's here right now."

A tall, olive-skinned, ebony haired woman came walking through the door. She had dark brown eyes, and the heels she was wearing made her legs look even longer. Dianna thought she was beautiful, accentuating her own self-consciousness. She came walking up to the table. Toby stood and hugged her. It seemed as though they hadn't seen each other in a long time.

"Toby!" she exclaimed as she put her arms around him. She slid in the booth, directly across from Dianna.

Toby explained to a confused Dianna and Alison. "This is Emily. Emily, this is Katherine, her daughter, Alison, and Dianna," he explained, saying Dianna's name as though it was encrusted with diamonds and sewn perfectly at the ends with gold thread.

Emily smiled at all three. "It's so nice to meet you all." She then turned to Dianna, giving her the friendliest smile Dianna had seen since…ever. "So you are Dianna, the girl who stole Toby's heart," she said.

"I don't know. What has he said about me?" Dianna asked curiously.

"Not much, except for that he was going to find you some day, and when that day came, he was never going to let you go again." Emily looked at her, almost with an undertone of melancholy. "You're so beautiful," she whispered, almost so quietly, it was only to herself.

Dianna smiled. "Thank you."

"The main reason that I dragged Emily out here to see you is because you wanted to know about your mother. Emily was best friends with her," Toby announced, cutting into Emily and Dianna's mutual looks of admiration of each other. In fact, Dianna had nearly forgotten entirely about Toby. She just couldn't stop thinking about how pretty Emily was.

"I still am friends with her," she said, correcting Toby. "Your mother is doing fine. She's living in Rosewood right now. I think she's a teacher at the high school there. But she honestly hasn't been the happiest for a really long time now," Emily explained to Dianna.

"Where is Rosewood?"

"It's this small town probably about thirty minutes outside of Philadelphia. It's about seven thousand people, but things go around quickly there. And when everyone found out that the great Spencer Hastings had two children out of wedlock, then gave them up for adoption…they wouldn't stop talking," Emily added solemnly.

Beside Dianna, Alison shook her head indignantly. "Nosy bitches…" she mumbled. Beside her, her mother scolded her for cursing.

"Rosewood is a breeding ground for them," Emily said, acknowledging Alison's witty comment.

* * *

"Did Analeigh like the gifts?" Spencer asked anxiously.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Spencer, why don't you go ask her yourself? You need to talk to her eventually. She's your daughter."

She shook her head furiously. "No…I gave up that title when I signed those adoption papers," Spencer stated.

"Spence, this may be your only shot at having a daughter, whether you like it or not. Not only is your clock ticking with you not even being in a relationship, much less a stable one, but the scar tissue doesn't make conceiving a cakewalk," Hanna told Spencer, who was playing with her hands nervously.

Her heart broke for a moment, remembering the idea that she would probably never be a mother.

When she was giving birth to Dianna and Analeigh, the doctors told her that it had been a lot on her body. There was scar tissue in her uterus, making it harder for the embryos to attach to the uterus. No attachment, no baby.

In retrospect, knowing she would probably never be able to bear children again, and knowing she would probably lose Toby and never see him again, either, Spencer may have thought the adoption over. She knew that Toby wanted to keep the girls. But still, Spencer was doubtful and signed her daughters' lives away as Dianna and Analeigh Cavanaugh on a whim. And every day since, she was kicking herself in the face.

"Don't you dare say, 'I can always adopt', because you know just as damn well as I do that you probably never will," Hanna said, piercing her thoughts.

Spencer felt saddened. "No. I guess this is just what God wanted," she said, trying to avert the attention away from herself and onto something else.

"You don't believe in God! None of us really do after what happened to Ali!" Hanna shouted belligerently. "I don't know what's worse. You lying to Analeigh or you lying to yourself," she said, her voice now sodden in disillusionment.

Spencer looked genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"

Hanna looked at her in disbelief. "Don't act like you don't know. A free twenty dollar gift card to the store and she caved. You told her you don't know where her sister is? Bullshit, Spencer, and you know it," Hanna said in an accusatory manner.

"It wasn't a complete lie. I told her I didn't know where her sister was. That much is true. But I do have an idea of where she is," Spencer announced.

"What did the PI dig up this time?" Hanna inquired.

"He said that she lives somewhere in Reading. That's where she goes to school. But it's an inner city school. He said thousands of kids from all around go there, so it's hard to pinpoint exactly where in Reading she is," Spencer explained.

There was a loud, pregnant silence. Finally, Hanna spoke up. "You need to tell Analeigh about Dianna," Hanna began, "before someone else does."

Spencer's eyes widened in horror. "Hanna, please…"

"I love you like a sister, but she is just a young girl. You can't keep something like this from her, or the only thing you'll hurt is the relationship you're trying to forge with her," Hanna said.

Spencer took a deep breath. "I guess you're right," she agreed.

"I know I am. Which is why you and I are going to the hospital later to tell her. Where is that box you have of Dianna's things?" Hanna asked, looking around the room, thinking of its hiding spot.

Spencer went over to her bed, digging underneath it, finding a jewel-colored box. Hanna took it from her, opening it to find dozens and dozens of pictures of Dianna at various ages. There was one of Dianna riding a bike at the age of six. Then, another of her first day of first grade. Another of her in high school, right around when she first arrived in Reading. Another of her at the library with Alison. One more of her goofing off…

Hanna looked at the pictures, realizing how bad things really were. Spencer was in pure and utter denial. She didn't want to admit that she had missed such a big opportunity to be a mother. She also didn't want to admit that she was wrong about keeping the girls. Hanna knew that even though alcohol was Spencer's poison of choice, denial could be a killer.

"Do you think you should show these to Analeigh?" Hanna asked.

Spencer shook her head. "No, she can't know. She might hate me. It seems like I chose Dianna over Analeigh, but it's nothing like that."

Hanna had to respect that argument on Spencer's behalf. She closed the box again, leaving the room and leaving Spencer speechless.

* * *

_How many lumps can there be in one freaking mattress?_ Analeigh tossed and turned again. She beat down her pillow. _One more night, Analeigh. Then you'll be back to sleeping on thousand thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and real food, not this hospital crap. _She sighed in delight, just thinking about it. She stared out the window at the view. Instead of getting one side of the hospital building, she was lucky enough to see the lake and the stars. The stars were beautiful on this side of Rosewood. It was the side farthest from Philadelphia, therefore it had the smallest amount of light pollution. Suddenly, Analeigh remembered how she spent the last two summers near that lake. She and her friends used to sneak away there, sometimes even going skinny dipping with their boyfriends. Once her boyfriend, Sam, brought her fishing there, where she was thoroughly freaked out when their fishing hook managed to snag a shoe. Those happy memories began to fade away, and Analeigh wondered what they would all be like if she shared them with a sister.

_Dianna. Diana, Princess of Wales. Dianna Argon, Quinn from "Glee". Diana Ross, Motown singer from The Supremes. Almost never D-I-A-N-N-A. That has to make my odds in finding her better, right?_ Analeigh closed her eyes, almost as though she was trying to expel those thoughts from her mind.

All of a sudden, there was a loud crash from down the hall. She jumped. Her heartbeat grew more rapid. Her breathing hitched, almost as if she didn't want whoever was there to hear her.

She finally looked down. The stupid, cumbersome cast was removed earlier that evening. She was trying to get used to it being exposed to air. On the hospital wall adjacent to her bed stood two crutches. Tentatively, she sat up in bed, enabling her to reach the crutches. Like a baby first walking on her legs, she took a few steps towards the door of her hospital room. Quietly, she slipped out, heading towards the source of the clatter.

"No! Not that one!" whispered a voice.

"You imbecile! Don't touch that!" they whisper-yelled.

"You should be more specific!" an unrecognizable voice whisper-yelled back.

Analeigh lumbered to the spot the voices were faintly coming from. She leaned over to peer into the hospital office window. Standing there was her doctor, Doctor Kingston. She couldn't see who the figure was beside him, but it looked like a woman with long, dark hair. They both froze suddenly.

"Did you hear that?" Wren asked the woman. Analeigh gasped, hiding herself in a nook in the hospital hallway.

The woman let out an agitated sigh. "Go see who it is, Dummy!"

Analeigh could hear Wren walk out of the office. Her breath hitched as she felt him walk closer and closer. Her heart froze as she watched him, out of the corner of her eye, look down the corridor Analeigh was in. She exhaled a tiny sigh of relief when she heard the office door close again.

"Nobody was there. You must've been hearing things," he said, in a normal voice this time.

The woman scoffed. "If someone finds out I'm helping you, I'm selling you down the river. You're stealing, not me." It was made clear in this statement that it was nobody Analeigh knew.

When she was sure that they were back in the office, preoccupied, she lumbered back down the hall. She was content that there were no axe murderers in the hospital, but also inquisitive as to what Wren and the woman were doing.

* * *

About an hour into their dinner, claiming that they needed to prepare for their trek back to Reading the next day, Alison dragged her mother off, leaving the three by themselves. Toby offered to let Dianna stay with him. Dianna wasn't sure whether this was too quick for her taste. On the other hand, what was she going back to in Reading? What more did she have to lose?

"Crap. I forgot that I was supposed to meet with someone at nine. I'm sorry to cut this short," Toby said, glancing at his watch. Dianna looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It was 8:30.

Dianna nodded, understanding. But Emily piped up. "I could bring you back later, Dianna. I'm sure you still have a lot more to ask, and I have more to tell," Emily said, smiling. "Is that okay with you?"

"More than okay," Dianna admitted, beaming.

"You have the keys to my apartment, Em. You guys can stay there if you want. I should be back by 10:30. Eleven, tops," Toby guaranteed.

Emily laughed. "I can take care of a seventeen year old girl, Toby," she promised.

With that, they all parted. Emily took Dianna to a cupcake shop. Dianna didn't notice, but Emily was mesmerized by her, as well.

"You look so much like your mother," Emily commented.

Dianna couldn't help but feel flustered. She felt color rise to her otherwise ivory-colored cheeks. "So I've heard," she replied.

"She was beautiful. Not in a cute kind of way. She was beautiful in a way that she took your breath away," Emily said.

"You said 'was', like she's not anymore," Dianna observed.

Emily sighed. "She's still pretty, but…it's not the same anymore. She seems lonely and distant nowadays. She has no fire in her eyes. As her friend, it's devastating to watch. After she became an alcoholic, it was killing your father to just…be around her. It killed a part of him. I know she misses him and he misses her…but sometimes things happen for a reason."

There was a sense of melancholy hanging around the room. "Maybe you can tell me about what she was like before me and my sister?" Dianna asked hopefully.

"She had this compulsive need to be the best at everything. She was the most anal and organized person I've ever met. Overall, she acted as though she was composed, but she was searching for something to make her feel good. Her parents were the strictest people I've ever met. Unless something was explicitly included in their itinerary for her life, it wasn't allowed. She didn't have any form of escape. When she met the four of us…she seemed happy, for once," Emily explained. "When she met your father, she was _really_ happy."

"Who were the 'four of you'?"

"Our group of friends. Me, Hanna, Aria, and Alison. We were that group of people who didn't seem to fit together, but somehow did. Hanna was a complete fashionista who studied Vogue religiously. Aria was the artsy one; she found a way to make everything into an art project. I was the jock. And Alison…she was the queen bee. Your mother and she constantly used to butt heads. They would fight, but I'm pretty sure she was the one most affected when Alison was murdered."

Dianna stopped in her tracks. _Murder? What the hell? I'd be an alcoholic, too!_ "Murder? Alison was murdered?"

Emily nodded. "It was horrible. It was like the Earth stopped spinning for a minute when we found out. Everything stopped. Everything came crashing down. Your mom, though she probably didn't want to admit it, was crushed by the news. She was probably the most determined to find whoever murdered Alison," Emily explained.

Dianna took a deep breath, trying to envision an even where her own Alison was murdered. She would fight tooth and nail to find the psycho who did it and probably would've ended up murdering him. "So she's had a rough life," Dianna finally muttered.

"It's been a battle. She found her safe place to land with your father, but things kept crumbling down for her. Just because your heart breaks doesn't mean that the world has to stop."

Dianna looked down at the chocolate cupcake in front of her. She tried to swallow the bitter pill. It wasn't easy, but sometimes taking a pill can be aided by something sweet. Something sweet was sure to come, eventually.

* * *

Analeigh examined her wrist the next morning, still not able to obtain that it was cast-free. Even though she previously couldn't wait to get it off, her arm now felt bare without it on.

She was sitting in the hospital, waiting for the doctor to come with one last check-up before she would be discharged. She was surprised when Hanna came walking through the door.

"Hanna?" she inquired. Hanna had been attentive the last days she was in the hospital. After bringing Analeigh early birthday gifts on Tuesday, Hanna returned on Wednesday to bring Analeigh frozen yogurt. Like Hanna was good at reading what was in a person's shopping bag, she was good at guessing what a person liked on their frozen yogurt. Come to think of it, Analeigh saw more of Hanna than Spencer.

"How are you?" Hanna asked, wrapping her arms around her. Once she pulled away, she saw that Analeigh was no longer wearing the cast on her arm. She also spotted the crutches she was given on the wall. "Crutches?"

Analeigh grimaced. "Yeah."

Hanna glared at them in the corner. Then she lifted her big bag up. "Lucky for you, I have supplies for those…things over there. We will make them look like the cutest crutches ever.

Thirty minutes later, Hanna and Analeigh were gluing silver gemstones onto the pink gauze on the crutches. It was something that Hanna recalled doing when she broke her leg in the eighth grade.

Hanna put the last gem on. "There. Who said you had to settle for boring, old, gray crutches? I think these are so much better," Hanna commented. Analeigh smiled.

"Thank you so much for all you've done, Hanna," she said before hugging Hanna once again.

"Don't thank me just yet," she answered.

Analeigh was growing concerned. She looked at Hanna nervously. "Why?"

Hanna took a deep breath. "You said you don't remember what happened that night, right?"

Analeigh mirrored Hanna, breathing heavily before answering. "I lied. I do remember. I have a twin sister. I ran out before Spencer could tell me anything else," she answered.

"You need to know that Spencer loves you very much and she didn't want to hurt you. But you do need to know about Dianna, your sister. I guess I'm trying to tell you what Spencer isn't strong enough to say," Hanna began.

"Wait."

They both turned to the doorway, where they saw Spencer standing with the box of Dianna's things.

"I need to show you something, Analeigh."

* * *

_Don't forget to click that review box! Don't just leave it hanging!_

_Here's a sneak peek of the next ch_

In Rosewood, Hanna was standing outside the hospital, speaking to Emily. "We need to get Spencer and Toby back together," Hanna announced.

On the other end of the line, Emily had the most bewildered expression ever. "Are you crazy? That ended years ago! Decades, even!" Emily shouted, deciding to take her phone call outside.

"Spencer found Analeigh. Analeigh needs to know her father," Hanna insisted.

"So does Dianna. Would you guess who showed up yesterday?"

Hanna's jaw nearly hit the floor. Then she got completely excited. "We're getting the Cavanaughs all back together!" she sing-songed.

"And Spencer," Emily added.

"Come on, Em. You and I know she would've been a Cavanaugh by now," Hanna remarked.

"Maybe we should get the girls to meet, first. They're probably more eager to see each other than Spencer and Toby are," Emily suggested.

Hanna smiled. "This is why you're the smart one, Em. You know, after Spencer."

_So follow, favorite, review! __**-Kayson3259**_

_apter (and this one is un-censored!):_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note: **__Please, please, please save me from strangling myself. So glad you guys liked the last chapter. Please review and make my day because thus far, it's been a really crappy day. May I just say that if I ever become an actress, I will run up to my choir/drama teacher and say "HA HA HA! Forget you and what you think!" because I'm really pissed off? I've been having practice all week, and I feel like having a conniption every time I have rehearsal because I am driven that insane. Alright, enough of my rant. On with the story!_

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

Analeigh sat, waiting for Spencer to announce what she had to say. She saw the box in Spencer's hand. _What is that?_ she thought.

Spencer walked tentatively to Analeigh's hospital bed. _I hope I'm doing the right thing._ She took a deep breath as she sat next to Hanna. She looked up at Analeigh. "Analeigh, I know I just told you about your sister, and I'm sorry that you didn't already know. I feel guilty holding this secret…" she trailed off. Finally, she refocused herself. "Years ago, probably about ten or eleven years ago, I hired a private investigator to look for her." She finally opened the box, and Analeigh's eyes widened upon seeing the dozens upon dozens of photos of a girl who looked exactly like her.

Stunned, Analeigh finally spoke. "So you know where she is?"

"I knew where she goes to school. It's an inner city school, though; she could live in any of the several neighborhoods the students of that school are from," Spencer explained, sadly.

"You looked for her and not me?" Analeigh asked meekly.

This was the question Spencer dreaded the most. As if to save her, someone else walked into the room. Spencer was stunned to see who it was. "Wren?"

* * *

Emily and Dianna were looking at the thousands of pictures Emily preserved from her teenage years, several with Spencer. Dianna _did_ think that her mother was gorgeous. But she couldn't see the similarities everyone else found so striking.

Emily pointed at a picture of Spencer on graduation day. "And this is when she graduated. You couldn't tell from the gown and that she wasn't showing that much yet, but she was already five months pregnant," Emily explained. She went to the next photo. This one showed a very pregnant Spencer and a small girl with her hand on the belly. Dianna had come to recognize this as Spencer and Aria. "And this is Spencer and Aria when Spence was…eight months pregnant. It was taken right before Aria went to school in England," Emily said.

Suddenly, behind them, the door opened. Toby walked in. It was already eleven. Dianna didn't notice; she was having too good of a time talking to Emily, though she did wonder if he even came home the night before. She and Emily watched a movie, Emily tucking Dianna in when she fell asleep on the couch. Emily was there, making pancakes when Dianna woke up, so she found it safe to assume that Emily stayed the night, as well.

Emily got up to greet Toby. She kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug. "Hey."

Dianna was still so confused on the status of their relationship. Toby claimed that Emily was his "best friend", but they acted too flirty to be just friends, in her opinion.

She finally decided to ask. "Are you two…dating?" she inquired.

They both jumped back, as though the other were covered in hot lava. "No!" they shouted in unison.

Dianna nodded, getting the picture. "Okay, I get it," she said, immediately feeling a little foolish.

"So you decided to up and abandon us last night?" Emily asked, only half-joking.

"Of course not. There was just a lot of stuff that needed to be done in the office."

Once again, Dianna had no idea what to say. Like Toby, she was really quiet around people she didn't know that well. She…disconnected herself from people around her. Even though her foster brother was the one with the name Arthur, it was clear _she _was Boo Radley.

Breaking the silence, Emily's phone began to ring, to the tone of _Back to Black_ by Amy Winehouse. She looked at the person calling. It was Hanna. "Sorry. I have to take this," she said in an apologetic tone. The phone beeped as she accepted the call. She slipped outside.

* * *

In Rosewood, Hanna was standing outside the hospital, speaking to Emily. "We need to get Spencer and Toby back together," Hanna announced.

On the other end of the line, Emily had the most bewildered expression ever. "Are you crazy? That ended years ago! Decades, even!" Emily shouted, deciding to take her phone call outside.

"Spencer found Analeigh. Analeigh needs to know her father," Hanna insisted.

"So does Dianna. Would you guess who showed up yesterday?"

Hanna's jaw nearly hit the floor. Then she got completely excited. "We're getting the Cavanaughs all back together!" she sing-songed.

"And Spencer," Emily added.

"Come on, Em. You and I know she would've been a Cavanaugh by now," Hanna remarked.

"Maybe we should get the girls to meet, first. They're probably more eager to see each other than Spencer and Toby are," Emily suggested.

Hanna smiled. "This is why you're the smart one, Em. You know, after Spencer."

* * *

Inside the hospital room, Analeigh was witnessing one of the oddest of reunions.

"Spencer?" Wren asked in his English accent.

"Wren." Spencer was clearly not as pleased with this reunion.

Still in the hospital bed, Analeigh cleared her throat, as to remind them both that she was still there. They both looked at her, immediately feeling sheepish.

Wren cleared his throat and turned his attention to the clipboard. "Miss Rose, your tests all came back fine. You can go home today."

Analeigh breathed a little sigh of relief.

"How long will she need crutches?" Spencer asked.

"Probably at least another two or three weeks," he answered stolidly.

Analeigh felt really awkward being in the middle of things. After about another minute, Wren excused himself. Analeigh checked to make sure he was really gone before asking, "So…what's the deal with you and Doctor Kingston?"

"What?" Spencer was unaccustomed to him being formally addressed. "Oh, right." Spencer realigned himself. "He was engaged to my sister."

"What happened?"

"He kind of…kissed me. It was wrong and it ended as quickly as it started but…he wouldn't leave me alone," Spencer explained, reminiscing on the past.

Analeigh nodded, almost as if she were impressed. "That's pretty flattering; him following you, I mean."

"It was a little annoying, after a while. I mean, he's nice, but he's almost too much like me." Spencer sighed before whispering to herself, "At least, the me I used to be."

Analeigh picked up on Spencer's comment, but didn't address it.

Hanna came walking through the door. "Hey, can I talk to Analeigh for a minute? Alone?"

Spencer could sense that she was no longer welcome. Ouch. "Sure," she said, disappointed. She suddenly realized that she wasn't wanted here. She stuttered, not knowing how to react. "I-I should probably go, anyway. T-they need me. In school."

Analeigh felt a little bad, but Hanna snapped her out of it. She was at a complete disregard for Spencer's feelings at this point. "I just got off the phone with Emily. Come on. I am taking you to lunch and you're going to meet her."

For some reason, Analeigh was a little suspicious. Then again, she would never pass up meeting someone new. Analeigh_ was _a social butterfly.

* * *

"Where are you taking me?" Dianna asked as she and Emily drove off of the highway and into a suburban-looking place. They finally passed a sign, saying "Welcome to ROSEWOOD", and Dianna was tipped off. She clearly inherited her parents' intuition. "You're bringing me to Rosewood. Why?"

"I want you to meet a part of your parents' past. A person, rather," she said, trying to remain as vague as possible.

Dianna wasn't quite sure what Emily was hiding up her sleeve, but almost positive that it wouldn't be good. "Is it something like her parents or something? Because I'm not dressed to impress," Dianna stated, gesturing towards her old and faded jeans and plain top.

"No, not your grandparents. Though, this particular person may be appalled at what you have on. She's very judgmental," Emily hinted.

Dianna turned back to the road, wanting to keep the surprise intact. They finally stopped in Rosewood Town, Town Square to be exact. Emily smiled, looking at the Rosewood Grille.

"Come on," she said, dragging Dianna out of the car. Dianna sighed and rolled her eyes, following as Emily brought her by the wrist into the Grille.

She looked around. There was an older couple closer to the window; a group of giggling teenage girls in a table at the center; a blond woman sitting with a brunette; a middle-aged man sitting in the back with a woman.

Emily led her to the booth with the blond and brunette. They both looked up at Emily and Dianna. Dianna discovered that the girl…looked just like her. The girl blinked back at her.

"Dianna?" she asked.

Dianna almost jumped out of her skin. "H-how do you know my name?"

"I've heard a lot about you. I'm Analeigh." She stared right into Dianna's identical eyes. "I'm your sister."

* * *

_Whaddya think? Hate it? Love it? Meh? Let me know! A lot of reviews would make my crappy day! __**-Bird Girl #1 (which is all I am now known as)**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note:**__ Okay, I have gotten some reviews about how you guys can't wait to see Spencer and Toby meet again. Don't worry; you will soon be very happy :) _

_I would also just love to ask you guys what kind of Spoby story you guys would be wanting to read. I am willing to take prompts, because my brain is kind of going dry after this. Literally, writing has been turned off in my brain with the exception of this story. I cannot stop with this story (I'm already up to 106 pages on Microsoft Word!)_

_And, lastly, sorry I didn't update. Like I mentioned before, the musical is really tiring and there are some days I would like to jump into my bed and go to sleep for five years. That would be heavenly. And then I would ask the genie for an endless supply of mocha frappachinos and Five Guys._

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Dianna stared at her. "W-what?" _There's no way it could be this easy. There has to be a catch…right? _

"I'm Hanna!" Hanna said, trying to break up the silence. Out of the corner of her eye, Dianna could see Emily roll her eyes.

"It was a big shock for me, too," Analeigh said, keeping her cool. Inside, she was flipping out. _I can't believe she's right in front of me! I hate to ruin this tender moment, but…what's that scar on her forehead from?_

In fact, that scar was the only distinguishable feature on Dianna and Analeigh. That, and the idea that Analeigh's hair was just a little bit lighter.

Dianna just blinked back at her. "I must be dreaming. This isn't actually happening. I'm going to wake up, and it'll all be over," Dianna whispered to herself.

Analeigh yawned in front of her. "Done yet? This isn't a dream," she said, bursting Dianna's bubble.

"Are you always this intrusive?" Dianna inquired.

Analeigh actually thought for a moment. "Yeah."

Dianna rolled her eyes. "There's no way you're my sister," she declared.

"Believe it, Sweetie. I'm right in front of you. And like it or not, we share the same DNA," Analeigh retorted.

"Okay then…how about lunch? Those cheese fries look really good," Hanna said, trailing off due to her fascination with those cheese fries.

Emily nodded, agreeing. "I'm Emily, Analeigh. I'm your mother's friend," she explained.

Analeigh nodded. "I know who you are. Hanna told me about all of you."

Emily shot Hanna a look.

"What? I figured she better know as much as possible for when we try and get their parents back together," Hanna announced, with Dianna and Analeigh both snapping into attention. Emily shook her head, glaring at Hanna in a "what the hell did you just do" sort of way.

"You're not serious, are you?" Dianna asked. "Our parents getting back together?" she questioned.

"I think it's a great idea," Analeigh said, adding in her two-cents.

Dianna looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you freaking insane? They are not going to fall back in with one another that easily!" she exclaimed.

"We'll have to work on it. But they have to realize that it's what's best for everyone," Analeigh insisted.

Dianna shook her head. "What's best for you, maybe. I realize you may drive a nice, shiny Lexus, and you have two perfectly nice adoptive parents for when this doesn't work. They'll be there to comfort you; you have friends. I don't! When I run back to my house, I don't have a mom I can cry to! I have empty bottles of whiskey and cobwebs. So, I'm sorry if I just crushed your dream of having two perfectly beautiful families, but some of us can't afford to take that risk!"

Dianna felt every pair of eyes in the restaurant turn to her. She immediately felt embarrassed. Analeigh was the only one in the entire restaurant who wasn't entirely flustered. "But what if it does work? Hanna told me, and I'm sure that Emily told you about how in love they were. We weren't a mistake. We were conceived out of love. And…maybe that's why we're here right now. This is the path the universe set out for us," Analeigh explained calmly.

Dianna was shocked. "Is that what you tell yourself? We were conceived out of love? We were conceived out of our mother and father being either stupid, overly-passionate, or really unlucky. For crying out loud, Spencer wasn't even out of high school."

Analeigh rolled her eyes. "You really need to stop being so closed minded. If you open up your mind, you'll see what I see. And I see our parents getting back together, and being happy. Spencer is so upset…it's awful. It really is," she said. Hanna, her own personal Sideshow Mel, nodded in agreement. "That's why I propose we get Toby and Spencer in the same room together. Let's just see what happens," she proposed.

"You do it. Apparently you're gutsy and unafraid, but I am. I don't want to ruin this new relationship I have with my father," Dianna said.

Analeigh sighed. "Fine. Then Emily will help me. Right?"

Emily nodded. "I want to see them together just as much as anyone here. And Toby is probably never going to hate me. I'm not really going out on a limb here. I know Spencer will be furious and then she won't care."

Hanna, Emily, and Analeigh exchanged looks all around the table. "Plan?" They all exchanged knowing looks, silently agreeing.

"Okay. Now that that's over with…we seriously need to get you some new clothes," Hanna said, looking at Dianna.

"I know I look like crap right now, but you don't have to point it out."

"Lucky for you, I just opened up my own boutique. That being said, I've made such a profit on the clothes, I can afford to set you up with a new wardrobe," Hanna announced, happy she would be able to play dress up with her own mini-Spencer.

* * *

Spencer sat, staring at her test papers, trying to grade them, but finding herself dwelling on the same question over and over. _Describe your family. Be sure to use adjectives and their relation to you._

Finally, she decided to give up on it, going back later. Everything reminded her of Analeigh and of Toby. It was draining and heartbreaking. She finally decided that there was only one way to deal with these problems. That was to deal with them head-first.

Gingerly, she picked up her phone and searched for Toby's number. Slowly and reluctantly, she began typing.

_Hey, I know it's been forever, but I really want to talk to you. –Spencer_

About a minute later, Spencer received a reply: _Spencer? I've wanted to talk to you, too, lately. Maybe we can meet sometime. Where are you living now? –Toby_

Spencer smiled at the fact that he even answered.

_I'm in Rosewood. What about you?_

_Philadelphia. Maybe we could meet tomorrow?_

_When? Where? I'm free as a bird._

Spencer winced at her own usage of that cheesy saying. Still, Toby answered.

_We could meet in Rosewood. Do you want to meet for dessert?_

_Dessert is always good. Some things never change. When?_

_Maybe at about eight? Rosewood Grille?_

Spencer smiled. She hoped her anxiousness wasn't spilling onto the text messages.

_Sounds great._

_Okay. See you then._

For the first time in what felt like forever, Spencer felt happy. There were butterflies at the pit of her stomach, making it feel like when they were in high school. Her smile faded when she realized that they weren't in high school; she couldn't expect things to be the same as they were nearly seventeen years ago. _Don't hope for it, Spence. You know your motto. Hope breeds eternal misery. _Then, the feeling of happiness and wishful thinking washed over her. _Oh, screw it. _And with that, she fell back onto her pillow, the soft and fluffy feathers cushioning her fall from Cloud Nine.

* * *

"Come out! We're not getting any younger!" Hanna called for Dianna in the dressing room. She was trying on a pink high-low chiffon dress that Hanna insisted she take.

Dianna didn't even want to look at herself in the mirror. She just sighed.

"Show off those Hastings legs you've got!" Hanna shouted.

"Haven't you forgotten?" Dianna finally stepped out. The jury's jaws dropped. "I'm a Cavanaugh."

"Not with those, you're not," Emily said.

Hanna shook her head. "That color is amazing on you. I love it," she said.

"You've been awfully quiet, Little Miss Sunshine," Dianna said, staring at Analeigh in the mirror instead of herself.

Analeigh shrugged. "I don't know what to say. I feel to narcissistic when trying to complement you. I mean…you look just like me."

Dianna scoffed. "Maybe you look like me," she argued.

"I don't think so."

They both faced each other. They turned to Emily, and in unison, asked, "Which one of us is older?"

Emily opened her mouth, no words coming out. She was astonished at their twin sense. "I think Dianna is older by about an hour," Emily answered.

Dianna stuck her tongue out at Analeigh, who rolled her eyes. "That would make me the baby, which means I'm cuter."

"But I'm the original. That being said, _you_ look like_ me_," Dianna insisted.

Hanna butted in. "I would just like to say that while it seems Dianna got the logic half of the embryo, and you both, obviously, got the pretty part, Analeigh certainly got the stylish half. Just a professional's opinion."

Both Emily and Dianna rolled their eyes.

"I think we should add it to the pile," Hanna continued.

"Really, Hanna, thank you, but…I feel guilty taking this from you," Dianna said, gesturing towards the pile of clothes perched on the store countertop.

Hanna shook her head. "Consider it a gift from your Auntie Hanna." Dianna was still skeptical.

"Oh, come on! I have seventeen years' worth of presents to make up for!"

Dianna looked at the clothes again and sighed. "Fine."

Emily and Hanna smiled at this classic-Spencer quality. And then Hanna remembered something, almost like a light bulb went off in her head. "Auntie Hanna has one last present for you. Consider me your fairy Godmother instead," she insisted.

"Can Auntie Hanna make up her mind on what she'd like to be called?" Emily asked.

Hanna dug behind the sales counter. She fished out a black, sparkly jewelry box and presented it to Dianna. "What is this?" she asked.

"Just open it."

Analeigh smiled when she saw what was in her sister's jewelry box. It was nearly an exact replica of what Hanna had given her, but instead of Analeigh and Toby, it was a picture of Spencer holding Dianna. Dianna could've died when she saw that. She held her breath, almost as if she didn't want the moment to end.

"Do you want me to put it on you?" Analeigh asked her.

Dianna nodded, her mouth and brain not able to form words. She almost flinched when she felt Analeigh's cold hands on her neck.

Dianna turned around and looked at her sister. For the first time, she realized that Analeigh was wearing a similar one. Suddenly, something in her heart told her it was best to go along with the popular consensus.

"What do you suggest that we do to get them back together?" she asked.

Analeigh, Emily, and Hanna once again traded sly smiles.

* * *

Spencer threw dress after dress after dress onto her bed, until her closet was nearly empty. _Too tight. Too short. Too boring. Too hopeful. Too…ugh._ Her eyes finally settled on a perfect dress. When she slipped it on, she knew it was _the_ one.

She looked in the mirror once more. She closed her eyes, saying a little prayer, sending it up into the dark room.

Finally, her eyes settled on the earrings sitting on her dresser. There were two ruby red, heart-shaped earrings sitting atop some velvet material. She placed them in her ears, finally feeling like she was ready to meet Toby. She sent up some more wishful thinking. And then, far in the back of her head, she felt a bad feeling. _Hope breeds eternal misery, Spence._

* * *

_You must hate me now. I am just so cruel. Next chapter, I believe Spencer and Toby will meet. Oops!...I did it again. I played with that section of your brain that gets all those emotions. For that, I am personally sorry. Here's a sneak peek!_

Emily, Hanna, Analeigh, and Dianna were all staked out in Hanna's store. It was right across the street from the Rosewood Grille.

"Okay, can we go over the plan again?" Emily asked.

Hanna sighed, recapping the plan in her mind before explaining it. "Analeigh is going to call Spencer. Dianna is simultaneously going to call Toby. They're going to meet for dinner here, in Rosewood. At the Grille. But what Toby and Spencer don't know is that Dianna and Analeigh know each other, and this was all a set-up."

"I don't even know at this point if we should even meet with them," Dianna commented.

Analeigh nodded. "Yeah, she's right. Maybe we should just let them talk to each other. I mean, they need more time with each other before either one of us pursues whatever…this is," Analeigh agreed.

_Ooh! The anticipation! And don't leave that review box hanging! Please review/follow/favorite! __**-Kayson**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: **__Okay, today I'd just like to address some things I thought you guys might be curious about:_

_Q: Will Aria appear/be mentioned?_

_A: Wait for it! There is some mention of Aria sometime in the near future!_

_Q: Is this story in 3rd person?_

_A: It's actually in 1st person, and you'll discover why next chapter. The identity of the narrator is somewhat mysterious, but I feel that by about chapter seventeen, if you look closely enough, you'll be able to figure out who the narrator is :)_

_Q: Is this based off of The Lying Game?_

_A: Honestly, this was not my intention when I began writing. I just saw a similar story on this site, and I wondered, hmm...what if I do my own take on something like this? I have only read the first two books in TLG book series, and I kind of stopped watching the TV show, so any coincidences are just that-coincidences. _

_Q: How old are you?_

_A: I am fourteen. I don't mean to sound terribly conceited, but I am very proud of the response I'm getting...I feel like this is my baby now. Sorry if the pace is a little slow, or the story is a little too sluggish. I'm either a poet or a playwright...I'm not really adept to writing stories like this! I'd say sorry if it sucks, but based on the response I'm getting, I don't think it's entirely that bad. Though, to the person who keeps reviewing "hmm", I don't know what that means! Please be a little more specific!_

_On with the story!_

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Emily, Hanna, Analeigh, and Dianna were all staked out in Hanna's store. It was right across the street from the Rosewood Grille.

"Okay, can we go over the plan again?" Emily asked.

Hanna sighed, recapping the plan in her mind before explaining it. "Analeigh is going to call Spencer. Dianna is simultaneously going to call Toby. They're going to meet for dinner here, in Rosewood. At the Grille. But what Toby and Spencer don't know is that Dianna and Analeigh know each other, and this was all a set-up."

"I don't even know at this point if we should even meet with them," Dianna commented.

Analeigh nodded. "Yeah, she's right. Maybe we should just let them talk to each other. I mean, they need more time with each other before either one of us pursues whatever…this is," Analeigh agreed.

"Fine. Dianna, get Toby on the phone. It takes a solid forty minutes from here to Philadelphia," Hanna instructed. Dianna followed her instructions, sneaking off into the back room to call him.

Meanwhile, Hanna and Emily sat, talking to Analeigh. "When should I call Spencer?" Analeigh asked.

"In, like, fifteen minutes. She needs time to get dolled up, or whatever it is that Spencers do," Hanna suggested.

"I don't know about this, Han. We're kind of endangering Analeigh and Dianna, don't you think?" Emily inquired nervously.

Hanna scoffed. "Neither Toby and Spencer would get that upset to cut off all ties with the girls, Em."

Analeigh cleared her throat. "I think I'll call her now. I'll just tell her to meet me at eight." She found Spencer's number on her phone. She put it on speaker so that Hanna and Emily could hear.

After about two rings, Spencer answered.

"Analeigh? Is something wrong?" Spencer inquired, the anxiousness detectable in her voice.

"No! No, not at all. But I kind of wanted to talk to you about what happened. I feel bad. You seemed to be really…anxious to leave. And I wanted to let you know that I'm not mad." Analeigh felt a lump rise in her throat. "I could never be mad," she whispered.

Spencer, however, though touched by Analeigh's suggestion, wasn't having it. "I think maybe you need some space. You seemed incredulous yesterday at the hospital and…you might just need time to get used to the things I showed you," she insisted.

Analeigh was incredulous _now_. "No! I need my mother! There are some things that…only a mother can deal with."

Spencer shook her head. "You have a mother. I just gave birth to you. That doesn't make a mother."

"I've never had a mother!" Analeigh exclaimed. Then, she was speechless.

Spencer took a deep breath. "This is all so sudden; I can't cope with it. I know I'm not what you wanted, Analeigh. I know you wanted to have a mother like Hanna; a mother who you could gossip with, or go shopping. I'll never be that woman."

Analeigh could feel hot tears rolling down her face. Likewise, Hanna was bawling in the background, feeling completely guilty. Emily tried to comfort her, feeling Hanna's hot, salty tears making her shirt stick to her skin.

"I'm so sorry, Analeigh," said Hanna, trying to contain her tears.

With one final sob, Analeigh hung up on Spencer. After holding her tearstained phone for a moment, she threw it across the room, her body shaking with sobs.

* * *

On the other side, Spencer pressed her eyes as she realized Analeigh had hung up. She willed herself not to cry, but felt a single tear slide down her left cheek. _Did you know that when the first tear comes out of your left eye, it's out of pain, and if the first tear comes out of your right eye, it's out of happiness? If it's from both, you probably stepped on a LEGO…_

Spencer laughed, though she wasn't sure whether it was out of her thoughts or from nervousness. She then realized the time. It was twenty to eight. Never one to be late, Spencer decided she would walk to the Grille, and that she should leave now.

* * *

"He said that he was really sorry, but he had a prior engagement and would probably be able to meet at ten and…what happened?" Dianna asked as she found both Hanna and Analeigh overcome by tears.

Analeigh shook her head, standing up, and leaving towards the bathroom in the store, as quickly as she could possibly go on crutches. It took a minute before Dianna assessed the situation and chased after her.

She raced through the door before Analeigh even had the opportunity to close and lock it. "Analeigh. What happened?" she asked, looking into her own eyes.

"Spencer…she's impossible," she said through shaky tears.

Dianna hurt seeing her cry. It was like watching a time-shifted mirror; she was seeing herself in her own times of sadness. But it was even more painful, because it was a better version of Dianna.

She put her arms around the collapsed Analeigh, and her heart sunk when she felt Analeigh's tears mat her hair and felt her cold hands when she returned the embrace.

"She's going through a lot, too. I bet that now that she's seen you…she wishes that she had never given you up. And she was really young Analeigh…too young to really weigh out the pros and cons of her decision," Dianna said to Analeigh.

Analeigh sobbed violently. "That doesn't exempt her from being my mother!"

Dianna could feel herself being overcome with emotion, as well. She tried to keep her emotions in check while soothing Analeigh, but found it hard to do.

* * *

"Em, it's all my fault! I'm the one who pushed her to call Spencer…I threw Spencer under the bus! What am I supposed to do now? An entire family is ruined _because of me!_" she shouted through tears.

Emily stroked her hair, trying to console her. "You did not. And they weren't technically a whole family; they were all separated. And if you didn't tell Analeigh the truth, you knew someone else would and she would get hurt again," Emily insisted.

Hanna's sobs began to die down until she wasn't crying anymore; she was simply bleary. Her sight drifted to the clock. It was a quarter to eight. The store was closed and the lights were dark, so Hanna had no problem seeing out the store window. She was extremely surprised by what she saw in front of her. _Spencer?_

"Em?" Hanna asked, her eyes fixated on Spencer, who looked…well, hot.

"What is it?" Emily turned around and saw Spencer. She could see into the Grille from her seat, and she could see Spencer talking to the hostess. She was obviously looking for someone. She then sat at a booth that was close to the window.

"What is she doing there?" asked Hanna.

Emily shrugged. About a minute later, they saw none other than Toby Cavanaugh walking up to the Grille. He saw Spencer and sat down, and they began talking. Both were bemused at what was happening.

Behind them, Dianna had finally coaxed Analeigh to come out of the bathroom. She inched along on her crutches, with Dianna offering support. Dianna was completely focused on helping her sister to the waiting area, whereas Analeigh was bemused by the scene unfolding before them.

"Who is that Spencer is meeting with?" Analeigh inquired.

Both Emily and Hanna were entranced. Dianna finally looked up.

Following a pregnant pause, Emily responded, "Your father."

* * *

_I think I neglected to tell you this before, but this story will take place in three parts, and you just read the penultimate chapter of Part One. Maybe if I get about five reviews I'll update again tonight...? Make it happen, guys! Ttfn! __**-Kayson3259**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: **__As promised, the final chapter of Part One of Forget Me Not._

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

I slipped surreptitiously into the booth in the corner. I faced the table, so my face would remain hidden to anyone passing by.

"I'm so glad you decided to show up this time," he said smugly in front of me.

Wisps of the blond/light brown hair hid my deep scowl.

"Come on. Don't be like that. We're in this together now. I can always get out of this. You, however? I'm not so sure about," he smirked.

My hazel eyes glowed with anger. "I wouldn't be so sure, Wren. I don't know of anyone who would want a corrupt doctor operating on their heart," I snapped.

His smirk faded slowly. His attention was called over to The Carpenter (who was now The Architect), who walked over cautiously to the booth two places away.

* * *

"I was really surprised when you called me, Spencer," he said cautiously, not looking at her.

Spencer cleared her throat. "I just thought that it's been a long time. And something else happened," she added vaguely.

He finally looked up at her, intrigued by this mysterious event.

"It was Analeigh. She lives in Rosewood and…I met her," she said, biting back tears.

"It's funny you should say that," he replied. She looked at him, perplexed. "Dianna came and found me."

By now, she was befuddled. Then she put the pieces together. "Maybe they knew about the seventeen years agreement, and they wanted to find us," she thought aloud, barely containing her smile.

"I don't think that was it. Not for Dianna, at least," Toby disagreed.

Spencer was suddenly on alert, like a bear with her cubs. "Why? Did something happen to her?"

"I know we signed those adoption papers and she was placed with that family…the only family you even considered…but she said she's been shuffled around the foster system for as long as she can remember."

Spencer's heart nearly broke. "W-what?" she stuttered.

"A lot of things have happened to her. If I had known that this would happen, I—"

He was disrupted by Spencer's fit of sobs. "It's all my fault!" she cried. "I'm the one who insisted that we put her up for adoption! You wanted to keep her! If I hadn't—"

"Spencer," he cut her off. She looked up and into his blue eyes. "You couldn't have known that this would happen."

She stayed silent, the only sound being her quiet sobs.

* * *

All of the girls were silent as they watched Toby and Spencer. They could very faintly make out that Spencer was either laughing very hard…or crying.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Hanna asked, trying to read lips which were so far away, they could hardly be made out. She squinted, trying again, and failing.

"I don't know! I'm not a fly on the wall in there!" Emily exclaimed quietly.

They both turned to Dianna and Analeigh, who were staring as well.

Finally, Analeigh stood up, and as quickly as she possibly could, began walking over to the back of the store, facing the shoes instead of the window. It was too hard to watch this all unfold. Silencing her own thoughts, she looked at the dozens upon dozens of shoes. _Am I a double A width, or a B? Would these make my ankles look fat? I don't think so. Plus, they'll look so cute with that new dress I got from here the other day!_

Then she realized, she wasn't wearing any of it. She had a stupid cast on her leg. She sulked over to the jewelry, examining a pink pair of chandelier earrings. Then she found a matching pink gemstone necklace. She placed it on her neck, drowning out the thoughts running through her mind.

Dianna was incredulous. "You're trying on necklaces when both of our parents are literally in walking distance from us?! Are you serious?!" Dianna inquired indignantly, growing more and more agitated by the second.

Analeigh shook her head, otherwise ignoring Dianna.

"Your father." Analeigh froze. "Analeigh, your father is sitting across the street from us! Don't you want to meet him?"

That was enough to sway Analeigh. Both girls began to walk towards the dinner.

* * *

"The adoption certificate was destroyed," I asked, "right?"

Wren nodded. "They've been gone for a while now. The only people who might have a copy are Spencer and Toby," he assured me.

I still took an anxious sip of coffee. "I can't believe I let you drag me into this," I scowled.

"Isn't this what you wanted for her? A life free from complications and from him?"

I turned and looked over my shoulder for a moment. Spencer was crying, staring at Toby. I gulped. "I always thought he would hurt her again."

"And he will. If we allow them to get close again," Wren persuaded.

"Are you sure that the X factor is going to keep her lips zipped?" I asked finally.

He nodded. "She won't touch on the subject with a ten foot pole. I assure you, she's not a problem."

Deep, deep down in the pit of my stomach, there was a black hole eating away at my conscience. Then again, this empty feeling was overridden by the safety and jealousy I had always felt towards the couple.

"So what's the next step of the plan?"

* * *

Spencer's face was buried in the palms of her hands, as she tried to stop the flow of tears, but only succeeding in making her eyes even redder.

She finally took one deep, shaky breath. "I can't believe it. I was so convinced that everything would be perfect for her," Spencer thought aloud.

"Sometimes life doesn't go the way that we planned it to, Spence."

Spencer's heart lifted a little when she heard him use her nickname. She tried not to show vulnerability, but how guarded can you be when you're in tears in front of your ex?

"I know that, but this wasn't supposed to happen."

Toby sighed, showing he was the slightest bit agitated. "Well, what can we do now that it's already happened? The past is the past. Dianna seems to be handling what happened to her fairly well," he commented, thinking about Dianna.

"How do you feel about what happened to you?" Spencer asked, her voice constant, unwavering, unbroken by sobs or tears.

Toby was perplexed. "What?"

"How do you feel about Jenna? About what she did to you?" she interrogated, with the slightest edge in her voice.

Toby swallowed, "I'm not that happy about it…but it happened a long time ago. I can't hate Jenna forever. The past is just that, Spencer. The past," he insisted.

Spencer looked at him with her piercing brown eyes. "But if you could go back and prevent it, you would. You wanted to see her deal with what she did to you. You're scarred, Toby," she reminded him.

"I'm not the same person as you," he snapped. "I don't go around seeking revenge for everything that's been done to me."

Her disposition turned very icy. "Then clearly, you don't know me that well." She went on, "That's something Spencer Hastings would've done."

"Are you not Spencer Hastings anymore? Did you change your name or something I'm unaware about?"

"No. I don't know where Spencer Hastings is, though. Not anymore. All I know is you're not talking to her right now," Spencer said quietly, sheepishly.

* * *

Two booths down, I asked Wren, "Can you hear them?"

He remained silent for a moment, trying to hear what they were saying. He could see Spencer's lips moving, but could not read them. "No."

I sighed apprehensively. "If she finds out that I'm here—"

"She won't," Wren answered hastily.

I rolled my eyes. "You promised me a lot of things that didn't happen."

He shook his head. "You're in the clear for this one. She doesn't even realize that you're back…does she?"

I shook my head. "No. She wouldn't recognize me by the back of my head. Not since I dyed my hair this color and turned about five shades darker," my answered.

"Does she still think you're abroad?"

I nodded reluctantly. "I don't plan on telling her that I came back over a decade ago…and it's not a total lie. I recently went back to Europe recently. But for very different circumstances," I said vaguely.

He scoffed. I rolled my eyes again.

"Don't test me, Wren." I glared at him with those hazel eyes.

* * *

Emily and Hanna snapped back to the twins when Analeigh stood up with her crutches, walking at a more normal pace towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Emily asked.

Dianna opened the door for Analeigh. The only response Emily was getting was that of the sound coming from the crutches moving Analeigh little by little. They both ignored the dumbfounded blond and Emily as they began to walk across the street to the Grille.

"What the hell just happened?" Hanna asked.

"Come on, Hanna. I am not going to the hospital to visit someone who got hit by a car. And this time, I have a feeling it won't be Analeigh," Emily said.

Hanna was confused. "What are you trying to say, Em?"

Emily shook her head. "Let's just stop them from doing anything stupid. And stop Spencer and Toby from doing anything similar.

* * *

"I'm saying I'm not the girl that you met in high school," Spencer claimed.

But Toby's eyes were fixated on the girl approaching them on crutches with Dianna. He was stunned by how similar they looked. Despite their very different surroundings and upbringings, it was very clear they were identical twins.

"Spencer," he whispered. She turned to see both Analeigh and Dianna. She was completely speechless.

* * *

_Cliffhanger! Please review, favorite, follow, whatever floats your boat. __**-Kayson**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note: **__I love how you guys are already so wrapped up in the thought of who the mysterious brunette/blondie is (I really don't know how to classify her). Some of you guys think it's Aria...maybe some of you think it's Mona. I'm sorry, my loves, I cannot disclose that information! However, I think that you'll know who's sketchy and who isn't by the end of Part Two. I also have a guarantee that Mona will appear in this story, and she comes back in an interesting way. _

_Without further ado, I present the first chapter of Part Two!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Analeigh? Dianna?" Spencer asked as she saw the two girls approach them in the restaurant.

Analeigh was clearly next to tears. Dianna looked much calmer and put-together than her sister at the moment.

"Analeigh, I—"

"How could you? How could you, Spencer?" she asked. Spencer's heart sunk at the use of her name. Then again, she requested for Analeigh to stop referring to her as her mother. "I feel like you disowned me! I'm still your daughter! I was still born as Analeigh Maria _Cavanaugh_ and as much as you may want to change that, changing my last name won't make me any less of you. What I need isn't a friend. I don't _need _someone to gossip or go shopping with. I _need_ someone who's going to love me unconditionally and who will tell me that everything is going to be okay at night. For seventeen years, I _needed_ someone who would look under the bed for monsters and tuck me in at night; I _needed _someone who would make me want to slam the door and shut myself off from the world and keep me locked in my room; I _needed _someone who would yell at me to do my homework or do the dishes; I _needed _someone who was willing to sew the holes in my jeans, or mend the snag in my sweater, or hold me on my darkest days and tell me that everything was going to be okay. And for seventeen years, _I didn't get that from anyone!_ I'm sorry that I'm not the daughter you were expecting or that you wanted; you made that abundantly clear seventeen years ago. But I need you _now_, and I was hoping that maybe for once, I would be able to have a mother."

She laughed sardonically. "What does that even mean, _mother_? I don't know. I haven't known for my entire life. My 'mother' wasn't the kind of mom who would wash your cuts or make you bathe in milk for sunburn. She wasn't there for almost everything. I guess that just happens when your mother is a diplomat. She's constantly going to different countries, living an adventure. That's a lot more fun than spending time with your daughter, isn't it?" She paused. She resumed her monologue, speaking more quietly, "For once, I just wanted to know what that meant."

Spencer sat, frozen, before Hanna and Emily burst into the Grille. It was pretty empty now, but they went to console Analeigh, who looked about ready to burst into tears at any moment.

Likewise, Dianna's legs went numb and she found herself paralyzed. Her mouth moved, with only tiny croaking sounds coming out.

Toby, disgusted with what was unfolding around him, decided to call it a night. He left a twenty dollar bill on the table, getting up to leave. "Bye, Dianna." He turned and looked coldly at Spencer. "Goodbye, Spencer," he mumbled.

Dianna, still immobile, was pulled into reality by Spencer's movement. She covered her face with her hands.

Shakily, she murmured, "I can't believe this is happening."

Dianna sat across from her. She knitted her eyebrows in concern, but not able to form a complete thought.

"I can't believe that this is your first impression of me," Spencer said to her, uncovering her face.

Dianna, still concerned, mustered a slight smile.

* * *

"Toby! Wait!" Emily called after her blue-eyed best friend. He was walking briskly down the streets of Rosewood.

"What is there to talk about, Emily? I screwed up. Spencer screwed up. Now Analeigh hates the both of us, and I'm sure Dianna feels the same way," he said, more frustrated than he meant to be.

Emily was still gentle in her reasoning. "Analeigh can't hate a person she doesn't know. And even though she's really upset with Spencer, it doesn't change the fact that Analeigh is Spencer's daughter. Nobody wants that to be true more than Analeigh does. She just wants a mother, something she was deprived of for so long," Emily explained.

Toby looked down at the sidewalk. "What about Dianna? She can't be happy. Spencer and I both gave her away and…she's been through hell and back more than a few times. If we kept her, she wouldn't have been abused," he thought aloud.

She shook her head. "You need to stop with that. So what if it might be true? I think you would know as well as anyone that people who have been through that don't want to dwell on it. She's a teenager. She's resilient. Despite all the hell she's been through, she wants to be a teenager. She's not an adult yet. It's not too late for her to forgive and forget. That's something I see in her that I think I've only seen in you before," Emily confessed.

Toby didn't smile. In fact, he showed no emotion. "I was in way over my head. You can't forge a bond with someone overnight. You're right. She will move on. She'll move on with her life, and she'll start over, somewhere else."

Emily's face fell. "Toby, that's not what she wants. She wants to start over with her mother and her father. It's undeniable that you're her father! Toby…please don't be this way," she pleaded.

"I should go back to Philadelphia now. Nicole is probably worried right now, and waiting," he said, disengaging himself from Emily. She watched as he resumed his brisk walk as she felt tiny droplets of water fall on her face.

* * *

Analeigh sniffled as she made herself at home on Hanna's couch. She looked at Hanna, who was boiling water on the stove to make tea for Analeigh. Then, Hanna brought over fashion magazines for Analeigh to busy herself with.

"I don't want to see her tonight," Analeigh said coldly.

Hanna sighed. "Trust me, she won't come back."

Analeigh touched the blanket which was lying on top of her before looking at Hanna again. "It just really hurts when you don't feel like you have anyone there for you," she claimed.

Hanna still looked confused. "What about your friend? What's her name?" she inquired.

"Olivia?" Hanna nodded. "She's my…frenemy. I mean, when we get along, it's great, but…she can be really, really…mean. She's manipulative. That's the best way to describe her. She knows where to push your buttons and she hits you where it hurts."

Hanna nodded, understanding this toxic-type friendship. "I know how you feel. Our friend Alison…she could make you feel like the best person in the world. But then she used to tease me about being fat and ugly, and she made me feel horrible about myself."

Analeigh looked at her, unbelieving. "You? Fat and ugly? I'm finding that very hard to imagine."

"Everyone has that awkward phase," Hanna assured her.

The teapot on the stove began to simmer. Hanna got up to stop it from boiling over. She held up two boxes of tea, before asking, "Raspberry Pomegranate or Earl Grey?"

Analeigh considered for a moment. "Raspberry Pomegranate."

"Good choice. I love it because it's pink," Hanna confessed. She placed the teabag in a white and gold teacup before filling the cup with the boiling water. "Do you take sugar or honey?" she asked.

"A spoon of sugar, if you have it," Analeigh replied.

Hanna smiled. "Your mother drinks it the same way."

Those words stung in Analeigh's ears. "Don't you remember? I don't have a mother…" she trailed off.

Hanna looked sadly at Analeigh, stirring in a spoonful of sugar absentmindedly. She brought the cup of tea on a matching saucer slowly, as not to spill it. Analeigh was careful not to burn her tongue or throat on the hot liquid. She felt a little more comforted by the hot and sweet liquid sliding down her throat. It was like a couple kisses down her throat. It was a nice end to a rough day.

* * *

Spencer and Dianna stood next to each other, each brushing their hair in the exact same pattern in front of the motel room mirror. They each slid the brush through their hair twenty-three times on each side. They then brushed their teeth for an exact one-hundred thirty seven seconds, counting them out in their heads slowly. Finally, they pulled back their hair, washing their face with a special pink grapefruit facial wash.

Both lay uncomfortably on the two full sized beds. They were both turned so their backs were facing away from each other. The only sound in the room was that of the heater, which changed settings sporadically. Dianna looked over her shoulder once or twice, seeing if Spencer was uncomfortable as she was. Both times, she was treated to a view of her back.

Spencer, though, was equally as uncomfortable, if not more.

Dianna, on the other side of the room, rolled over and smacked her pillow. After a moment, she sighed. Spencer looked over at her, wallowing in a sense of yearning. There was some lust. She just wished she could hug her right then and there. Debating on whether or not to break the silence, Spencer finally asked, "Are you still awake?"

Dianna was silent for a moment. Spencer abandoned her hopes for a conversation this late. Finally, Dianna spoke. "It's almost like we're the same person right now. From the way we brush our hair to the way we're lying down right now. It's so dynamic and so subtle at the same time. Despite the distance, we're still so comfortable with it. It's almost natural," she commented.

Spencer looked at Dianna. With her last words, she was positive that this was her child and Toby's child. "Are you angry with me, too?" she questioned.

Dianna slowly shook her head. "No. I understand why you did it. I wish you hadn't, but I can't change the past."

Yes, she was certainly Toby's daughter. "I wish I could change the past," she announced.

Dianna turned to look at Spencer's profile. She was now looking up at the ceiling, the same exact way Dianna had been laying just a few moments prior. "Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it," she quoted.

Spencer looked at her daughter. She noticed the blue flecks in her otherwise chocolate colored eyes. "How did you get so smart?" she inquired, clearly enchanted.

"Genetics, I guess," Dianna replied before looking back up at the ceiling.

After staring for another five or six more seconds, Spencer shifted uncomfortably in bed. She couldn't help but feel that the universe was taunting her as she heard Dianna's breathing sweetly and steadily, informing her that Dianna was fast asleep. There was a lingering feeling of betrayal, but only Spencer could feel it. Her deepest, darkest secret was weighing heavy on her conscience.

She threw Dianna another look over her shoulder. She looked like an angel, tucked into the fetal position, her lips parted just slightly.

The image burned in Spencer's mind, even after she closed her eyes and turned away from Dianna. She contemplated telling everyone, but feared losing what meant the most to her.

* * *

_I left you guys with a few questions, didn't I? Like, who is Nicole? What's going to happen to Analeigh? And what's that big secret that's weighing on Spencer's mind? _

_So review/favorite/follow, and PM me with any questions that you have! I'll do my best to answer and/or confuse you! __**-Kayson**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note: **__I hope you hate Nicole! If not, prepare to hate her, because she's a bitch with a capital B-I-T-C-H. And in this chapter, you guys will see some Dianna-Spencer interaction. Now for a little Q&A..._

_Q: Is Aria the girl telling the story?_

_A: Silly! I can't answer that! I will say this, though: the girl is malicious and very spiteful. Despite this, she has a sad reason why she did all of this to Spencer, Toby, Dianna, and Alison._

_Q: Is Wren super-sketch?_

_A: He's a cold hearted snake. Look into his eyes-ooh, girl, he's been tellin' lies! (I could not resist, and for that, I apologize)_

_Q: Are you writing another fanfiction?_

_A: I will gladly start one if I GET SOME PROMPTS! I have been looking forward to starting another fanfiction, but my brain is going dry. I can't come up with any ideas. If you guys have some songs for me to listen to, to get the creative juices flowing, be free to PM me names. I need help!_

_Q: Other guilty pleasures?_

_A: You are reading stuff by a Gleek. Say what you want about Ryan Murphy, Lea Michele, etc. and you can say they have crappy covers (not entirely true, nor entirely false), but the writing is amazing. They tackle such important issues: child sexual abuse, sexuality, bullying, teenage pregnancy, etc. I'm also in love with To Kill a Mockingbird as of recently. I love the ideas in that book. As for movies, Sandra Bullock is hilarious in Miss Congeniality; Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow are so funny in Pitch Perfect; I just love the Lorax and Danny DeVito's voice. I'm bitter that Seussical (the musical I've been slaving over) cut out the Lorax's scenes. He was awesome. I am also in love with the music from Les Mis. I wanted to see it, but none of my friends are drama buffs, and they wouldn't go with me :(_

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

Analeigh woke up. She looked around, confused by the unfamiliar sights. _Where am I?_ Suddenly, she had an epiphany. _Hanna's?_

Almost as if in response to her thoughts, Hanna came out of the bedroom, wearing a pink fuzzy bathrobe and slippers. She was sporting a cup of coffee in her hand. Her hair was stylishly messy, and Analeigh wondered if it was even possible to look less than perfect.

"Good. You're awake," Hanna commented as she put the cup in the sink.

Analeigh yawned, trying to remember what happened. Ah, yes, that eventful family reunion. How lovely. Analeigh couldn't wait to hear all about it around school on Monday.

"Do you want something for breakfast?" Hanna asked.

Analeigh shrugged. "What do you have?"

Hanna didn't even look around. "Everything. I don't eat breakfast."

_Um, what? _"How?"

"I don't know. I don't eat breakfast."

They retained serious faces for a moment, before breaking into fits of laughter. Analeigh got up, nearly forgetting that she needed crutches. She saw them standing on the wall on the other side of the room. Using the dining table and then the plant to assist her, she hopped on one foot to her crutches. Then she made her way to the kitchen where Hanna was standing. Hanna moved to the fridge to get out the orange juice. She held it up.

"Do you want some?" she asked.

"Sure."

Hanna moved over to the cabinets to remove two highball glasses. The glasses amused Analeigh. Hanna didn't comment on it.

Hanna looked up at Analeigh before passing her the glass. "Do you want French toast? Pancakes? I make really good chocolate chip pancakes. I can make strawberry waffles," Hanna told her, showing off her ability to make breakfast as if it were beauty pageant accolades.

Analeigh contemplated her breakfast choice. "Those waffles sound really good."

Hanna smirked. "You're a smart girl. Do you know what makes strawberry waffles even better?" she questioned, moving towards the fridge.

She stuck her head in the left side, looking around for something Analeigh was hoping she'd pull out. Hanna showed her a quart of chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge ice cream. "Kryptonite," Hanna claimed. Analeigh nodded.

* * *

Long, shiny, perfect red fingernails rapped rhythmically on the granite countertop. The tip of a red stiletto heel tapped on the tile floor. Envious green eyes bore into his back, agitatedly waiting for him to wake up.

"Toby!" she finally snapped.

He rolled over to see the tall, thin light brunette standing there. She was wearing a very snug black dress. He couldn't remember letting her in the previous night.

"How long have you been standing there?" Toby inquired curiously.

She sighed. "I don't know. Maybe…fifteen minutes? But I was waiting in bed _alone _for over three hours last night. Where the hell were you?" she asked, her words laced with shards of glass.

"I told you. I was just meeting with someone last night," he insisted.

"Who stayed here while I was gone?" she interrogated jealously.

He sighed at her obvious envy and mistrust. "Emily. And Dianna."

She looked about ready to explode. "Who's _Dianna_?" she questioned, saying the name Dianna as if it were coated in sewage or something else foul.

"Nicole—"

"Did you cheat on me because we haven't had sex in months?" she blurted out.

"Dianna is a...family member. And she's seventeen," Toby explained. "She's less than half my age." Toby nearly added "_She's young enough to be my daughter"_, but quickly bit his tongue.

She glared at him with her emerald green eyes. "Can I meet her? Is she coming to the wedding?" Nicole cross-examined.

"I don't think that that's—"

Nicole was taken aback.

"She's just really sensitive on these kinds of things. She's been through a lot."

Nicole scoffed and stomped into their bedroom. Toby flinched as he heard the door slam shut.

* * *

Thirty minutes and a waffle later, Analeigh and Hanna were just starting to eat a second round. Analeigh dragged the waffles through some ice cream, coating every bit with some of the sugary mixture.

"I cannot tell you the last time I had waffles and ice cream," Analeigh commented.

"Me either," Hanna agreed.

Things were silent for another moment. Finally, Analeigh broke the silence. "What do you think happened to my sister? I know everyone says she was adopted, but then how did she end up in Reading? Supposedly, she was adopted by a couple in Wyomissing," Analeigh recapped.

Hanna shrugged. "I don't know. Something must've happened. Maybe her parents died and nobody wanted to take her in."

Analeigh didn't respond, but pondered, looking off in the distance.

"Please don't go looking for answers," Hanna said, cutting into and silencing her thoughts.

Analeigh frowned at her. "Why not?"

"It's an easy way to get hurt. Trust me, I've been down that road a thousand times, Analeigh. I've been hurt. Emily's been hurt. So have Spencer and Toby," she informed her.

Analeigh's stomach churned, and she debated what she would do. She certainly couldn't sit around and do nothing.

* * *

Dianna looked around the diner. Finally, her eyes settled on the music player in the corner. She shuffled through it, looking at songs from the last century. The likes of Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, and The Supremes were listed on the pages. Dianna fished two quarters out of her pocket and picked a song by The Supremes—Come See About Me.

The colorful Motown music filled the nearly empty diner, per Dianna's request. Spencer walked towards their booth. Dianna stirred in a packet of sugar in her otherwise strong coffee, much like Spencer.

Their waiter came over with their identical orders—strawberry waffles with whipped cream. Dianna and Spencer both found it creepy how their own movement mirrored the other's nearly perfectly.

Spencer uncomfortably took a sip of her coffee. "So…you've never had an adoptive family?"

Dianna looked down and shook her head.

"Emily told me about what happened to you. How do you feel towards your foster family? Because I can press sexual assault charges on them and—"

"Please don't," Dianna interrupted, not looking at Spencer at all.

Spencer was stunned for a moment. "Dianna, you don't have to pretend that—"

"I'm not pretending I'm not hurt by what happened. I am. But, honestly, what am I going to do now? There's nothing to do. They hurt me, and I accept that it happened. I can't deny it. But I can't base my life on one experience. Knowing that there are good people out there makes me a lot slower to pass judgment. It's both a blessing and a curse," Dianna explained.

"But, Dianna…what about children who might suffer the same fate as you?"

Dianna bit her lip when Spencer said "suffer". She finally looked at her. "I can assure you, it won't happen again. I was transferred out of their house because the CPA found drugs in their house. They don't qualify for being foster parents anymore," Dianna insisted.

Spencer had to accept this. Not pushing her luck any farther, she decided to change the subject. "How did you find your father?" she inquired.

"My friend Alison convinced me that it was time to find him. I can't say I didn't want to do it before, but she really convinced me."

Spencer gulped. "Alison?"

"I know about your friend Alison. Emily told me. Alison is nothing like your Alison. She's supportive, and I know she wouldn't want to hurt me," Dianna said, reading Spencer's thoughts.

Spencer, on the other hand, couldn't shake the bad connotations with that name. She tried to calm her nerves with the liquid joy, but knew this was bound to be unsuccessful.

Maybe the only thing which calmed her nerves was knowing a piece of Toby was sitting in front of her. He was the only person who was ever able to calm her down. It was comforting to see the beautiful person they created together in front of her. Dianna sensed her nervousness and anxiety and touched Spencer's hand.

"You're so much like your father," Spencer smiled.

Dianna smiled, but secretly wished she knew what that statement entailed.

* * *

_Thoughts? Comments? Eh? Meh? I need something here! __**-Kayson**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Author's Note: **__I am open and willing to have a Q&A thing going on in the reviews...when you review, leave me a question, and I'll try to answer the best I can on Wednesday when I update!_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Ow! Em! Less dragging and clawing, more explaining. Toby is _what_?!" Hanna inquired as Emily dragged her in front of a Philadelphia eatery.

"Toby is engaged. To a real bitch, too. It kind of slipped my mind; I hoped that maybe if I forgot about her, she would cease to exist," Emily ranted.

Hanna bit her thumbnail. "This is going to devastate Spencer," she commented.

"I know. But Toby's Toby; he's not going to leave her. We have to find some way to bring them back together and get those two apart," Emily plotted.

"Are we scheming? I love it," Hanna answered with a mischievous smile.

They walked into the restaurant arm-in-arm. They spotted Toby and slid down across from him. Hanna fiddled with her thumbs nervously after a moment of silence. Her bright yellow nails were flawless.

"We need to be there for Analeigh," she said finally. "She stayed over my apartment last night. Spencer wasn't there. She wants to find out how Dianna was supposedly adopted and how she then mysteriously ended up in the foster care system," Hanna announced.

"We need to stop her, before she gets hurt," Emily told him.

Toby shook his head. "I'm pretty sure Analeigh made it crystal clear that she doesn't want anything to do with Spencer or me."

Emily was about ready to smack him. "Would you stop it! She is not angry at you! She's angry at Spencer, and eventually she will come around. She is a moody, impressionable teenage girl, Toby. But she wants nothing more than her biological family together. She wants a relationship with you and with Spencer that she didn't have with her adoptive parents," Emily thought aloud.

"I understand that, but she needs space right now. It's a lot to take in," Toby said stubbornly.

"Both you and Spencer are as stubborn as bulls…" Hanna murmured to herself. Emily kicked her under the table. She winced in pain.

Toby shook his head. "We're not being stubborn right now. What you all need to accept is that what happened is set in stone; it can't be undone. We set them up for adoption for a reason, and this is their lives now. You can't change the past."

"You can only learn from it. Toby, I don't know you as well as Emily or Spencer, but I know a smart person when I see them, and you are a smart-ass person. Stop tricking yourself and playing dumb. You _know_ that this is what you want—for you, Spencer, Dianna, and Analeigh to be a family. That's what you wanted seventeen years ago. I know that's what Dianna and Analeigh want, and I'm almost certain Spencer secretly wants it, too. Please just look at things for what they're worth. You're right; the past is the past. We can't change it. We can only learn from it. Maybe what you guys need to learn is that you need to turn mistakes into beautiful works of art. Dianna and Analeigh? They weren't planned, and some people see them as a mistake. But you and Spencer made two beautiful pieces of art. Pieces of art that want nothing more than to know their parents and function as one unit," Hanna said.

Toby didn't know what to say. His phone began to ring. It was Nicole. Before Toby could react, Emily took the phone out of his hand and declined her call.

"What the hell, Emily?" he asked, stunned.

"You're not going to be influenced by her. Does she even know you have a daughter?" Emily grilled.

"No," he replied sheepishly.

Hanna sighed, suppressing a witty comeback.

Emily scolded him. "You know the foundation to any successful relationship is honesty."

"I'm surprised to hear you say that, Em. I thought you hated her," Toby fired back.

Emily's lips formed a straight line. "Does it matter?" she asked sheepishly.

"Toby, please do this. If not for Spencer, for Dianna and Analeigh," Hanna pleaded.

Toby shook his head, taking a much softer approach towards Hanna. "I signed away my rights and my place as a father, Hanna. I'm _not _their father anymore. Spencer's _not _their mother."

"But they still love you! Please! I grew up without a father! Even though he was there…he really wasn't. I know you grew up without a father, too! How did that make you feel? Aren't you supposed to want better for your children?"

Hanna's question lingered in the still air surrounding the three of them.

* * *

Dianna leafed through the pages of _To Kill a Mockingbird_, engrossed in the trials and tribulations which plagued Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Spencer noticed this and called her out on it.

"Do you like that book?"

Dianna snapped into attention. "Yes. It's a classic. Harper E. Lee was a great writer," she commented.

Spencer laughed. "You know that she was a recluse? She liked being alone."

Dianna couldn't help but notice some subliminal message. "Do you stay away from people? Ever since what happened years ago? What happened? I know you're here now but…you never talked about what you did in those seventeen years."

Spencer took a deep breath. She stared into the dark depths of the coffee cup. She then looked into Dianna's dark eyes which nearly resembled her own. "Your father told you I was an alcoholic, right?"

She nodded numbly.

"After I was sober for about a year…I don't remember anything after that. I remember being in California for a few years, but…I blacked out. Maybe I don't want to remember, maybe I'm blocking out those memories for a reason, I don't know. I know I went to school in California to be a teacher. The only reason I remember is because I still have those papers and tests and I have a diploma. I became certified there, and I guess I went through the same process for Pennsylvania. I've only been working in Rosewood High School for the last year. I guess I was hoping…maybe your sister would be my student. Maybe our paths would cross again. I guess your sister's friend Selena was the catalyst in this story. She's the one who got Analeigh and I to meet."

Dianna couldn't believe this. "Do you really expect me to believe you don't remember nearly seventeen years of your life?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm not asking anything of you. Even if you don't believe me, that's the truth," Spencer said before leaving.

Dianna no longer had to keep anything inside. She closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. _What did I get myself into? _

* * *

Analeigh examined the contents of her quickly melting frozen yogurt for the umpteenth time. Olivia stared at her with a look of disbelief.

"Okay, what gives? You've been mopey ever since last week. You found your birth mother. And you just told me yesterday that you met your dad, too. It's all you ever wanted and more," Olivia explained.

Analeigh shrugged. "Sometimes when you have everything you need, adding one more thing will ruin everything."

Olivia was unbelieving. "Last week you couldn't tell me the difference between a flathead and a Philips head. Now you're talking to me like you study with the royal tutors. What the hell?" Olivia questioned.

Analeigh rolled her eyes. "I don't know what's so surprising, Olivia! You're right; I have everything handed to me on a silver platter. My parents might not be the best in the world, but they care about me. They provide and they love me. Why do I need to add another set to the equation?" she asked seriously.

"What happened?"

Analeigh was frozen for a moment. Finally, she spoke. "My mom doesn't want to be my mom. I should've gone with my gut. It told me this was a bad idea, and that I would get hurt. I would've kept a veneer of perfection instead of this…mess," she said quietly, nearly in a whisper.

Olivia looked at her friend sadly. She gave her a hug. Analeigh knew that she was her family.

* * *

"Is she here?" Spencer asked quietly when she saw Hanna in the kitchen of their apartment.

Hanna shook her head and replied, "No. You can stop walking on eggshells now, Spence."

Spencer sheepishly walked out of the doorway and placed her bag on a chair in their dining room. She sat uncomfortably on a stool at the bar where Hanna was standing.

"I found something out today," Hanna said, chopping vegetables and avoiding eye contact with Spencer.

"We've been finding out a lot lately, haven't we?" Spencer muttered.

Hanna picked up on this and looked up at her. "You have to take responsibility for your actions, Spencer!" she cried, her ice blue eyes blazing. "It's not Dianna and Analeigh's fault that you decided to settle in this town _where you knew Analeigh lived_ and then decided you want nothing to do with her. I know you're used to being waited on hand-and-foot, with the entire world revolving around you, but when you have a child, you come second. Your body, your feelings, your prejudices? They all come second.

"You're smart. You can figure this out yourself. You came back to this town for a reason. You wanted to know her. You can't tell me that it wasn't the reason you convinced me to move here with you. So for you to decide at the eleventh hour that you don't want a daughter is unfair to Analeigh. You got her hopes up and now she has a broken heart. You don't know as well as me and Toby, but having a parent stand by as you deal with so much crap is the worst feeling in the world. It makes you feel worthless, and then you start to picture them as a monster. I don't want that for you and Analeigh or you and Dianna," Hanna informed her.

Spencer snapped, "I do! I do know what it feels like! It's called loss without a body, and I feel like I've experienced hundreds in my life!" She took a deep breath. "My parents were gone for what feels like my whole life. You want to talk about not caring? My mother and father threw me out the instant that they discovered I was pregnant. I'm surprised my father didn't frame Toby for check fraud or something when he discovered he was the father. Then, they reached out to me when they received an acceptance letter into Yale Law, only to suggest I get an abortion. Hanna, you had a mother. When she was alive, Toby had a mother, too. I had nobody. My sister hated me. My mother and father were around because they were stuck with me; I was the black sheep; the mistake. I'm a liar and a fake and a phony. I'm a terrible person. I wanted to disengage myself from Analeigh because that's what she deserved. I stuck her with the Roses because _that was what she deserved._ She got a lot more than the mangled, damaged mess sitting in front of you. Hanna, I did what was best for her, and I still think I did the right thing.

"Dianna is a different story…" Spencer faded into oblivion. Her words hung in the air, haunting Hanna. "Maybe I would've kept her if I knew she was going through all that abuse."

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Bullshit, Spencer! I don't know Dianna as well as Analeigh, so I have a predilection towards Analeigh, but you wouldn't have kept one and not the other. And you couldn't have possibly found out about the abuse; nobody outside of those three people knew it was going on when it was. And face it. You like Dianna because she reminds you of Toby. You and Analeigh butt heads because she's just like you. And me. Can't forget about her inner diva," Hanna added.

Spencer felt very small. "Maybe you're right. I can only see the blue in her eyes when I talk to her. I don't see any of me. I only see Toby. And Analeigh…I just see Spencer Hastings. I don't see who she's turned into, and that scares me. Analeigh scares me," she clarified. She gulped, trying to hold down the bitter feeling she had in the pit of her stomach.

Hanna looked at her solemn best friend. She then put the vegetables she was chopping in a bowl with lettuce. "Well, you need to get ready. Em is coming over later," she announced.

Spencer smiled at meeting her friend over (hopefully) better circumstances. _Hopefully she has good news._

* * *

_Now that I think I've left you with questions, I wanted to ask YOU guys a question: _

_My friends and I were doing this little spoof (or parody or spin-off, whatever it is) of Pretty Little Liars. I wanted to know if you'd like me to upload it. It's just a little experiment, and I wanted to know if you guys would be interested in reading about/watching a show such as the one I may upload the script for. A PM or review about this would be much appreciated! __**-Kayson3259**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Author's Note: **__Q&A!_

_Q: Is Nicole Toby's girlfriend?_

_A: More like fiancé. Just remember this is a Spoby story. Now please extinguish your torches and lower your pitchforks._

_Q: Are Spencer and Toby ever going to get back together? -dreamcatch3r_

_A: "Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You can tell them things that you've never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to here more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can't wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. [...] they show you the things about yourself that make you feel special or even beautiful. [...] The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song, or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it's like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn't exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps you get through a long day's work and always brings a smile on your face. In their presence, there's no need for continuous conversation, but you find you're quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is special to you. You think of this person on ever occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind, or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there's a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that's so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a __**soul mate**__ who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life." -Bob Marley. I hope that answers your question. _

_Q: How do you pronounce Analeigh's name?_

_A: I know nobody actually asked me this question, but I feel as though it must be addressed, because most people I encounter pronounce it incorrectly. It's pronounced "Ah-na-LEE", not "Ah-na-lay". Just think of it as the portmanteau of the names "Ana" and "Lee" (though Leigh is spelt differently in this instance...you catch my drift!)_

_Q: How did you come up with such a good idea? -reneexoxtyler15_

_A: I would love to answer that question! ...if only I knew the answer. I honestly don't know. It only happened like two weeks ago, but I don't remember how I came up with the idea. I was doing this whole study on identical twins and stuff, and BOOM. Forget Me Not happens. It's like incomprehensible conception. Ha. _

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

Hanna Marin was amazing at three things in the world: smart-ass comments, preparing a top-notch outfit worthy of as much publicity as Kate Middleton's wedding dress, and impressing at dinners.

As she went OCD on the table settings for the umpteenth time, she wondered why she was getting so nervous. _It's just Emily coming over! It's not like I have a crush on her; why am I freaking out so much? _

She wiped the interior of a glass, frowning at the omnipresent scratch upon the glass's surface. _Go away, you ugly little bastard!_

Spencer walked into the room wearing a high-waisted, short and flared skirt. It was a deep, rich cranberry color. She paired it with a sleeveless white blouse. Hanna couldn't help but wonder why she was dressing to impress. _If I just had my biological daughter basically just announce that she hated my guts, I would be much less put together. _

_Please, Hanna. You wouldn't be able to work a zipper._

_True, true. You're so smart, Right Side!_

_Don't mention it, Left Side!_

Spencer broke Hanna's internal conversation between both sides of her brain. "Why are there four plates?" she inquired hopefully.

"Oh," Hanna said quietly, as if remembering something. "The table looks stupid and uneven with only three place settings," she insisted.

Spencer was sure this wasn't true, but didn't call Hanna out on it. Instead, she took out a bottle of wine, which Hanna eyed cautiously. Spencer took out only two wine glasses, taking out a bottle of seltzer for herself. Hanna breathed a little sigh of relief. Spencer poured the seltzer into the glass Hanna was disagreeing with just a minute prior. Hanna scowled at the tiny little mark on the side. She then poured the white wine into the glass next to Spencer's place. She took a long gulp of it, relaxing her nerves.

They waited in silence for another five minutes. Hanna nearly skipped to the door when there was a knock. She was so relieved Emily finally came to save this night, which seemed to be slowly sinking like the Titanic already. Spencer looked at the wine glass; no, she glared at it and the half-empty bottle of wine next to it. It mocked her as she remembered how she lost nearly everything over the euphoria and high she got off of it.

"Hey, Spencer," Emily greeted brightly, placing her navy jacket on the chair.

"Hi, Em," she replied.

"Want salad?" Hanna asked, maybe a little too enthusiastically.

Emily sat down and watched as Hanna gave her salad, despite her lack of answer. "Um…thanks, Han," she said slowly. She took some of the oil Hanna had put next to the salad and put it on her salad. Hanna took some of the Italian bread and dipped it in oil.

"So, Spence, you know we wanted to tell you something?" Emily inquired.

Spencer nodded, taking tiny bites of her own salad.

Hanna swallowed, thinking of a way to put it. "I'm going to be straightforward and say it; Toby is engaged."

Spencer felt the entire world stop for a split second. _What?_ She wasn't sure why she was so surprised. Toby was an amazing person. Why wouldn't he already be married? Just because her world stopped when they broke up didn't mean that his did, as well.

"And she's a bitch," Emily added rather bluntly.

The only words Spencer could form were, "Is she pretty?"

Hanna scoffed. "If you count the before pictures for plastic surgery 'pretty'. It looks like a horse kicked her in the face, Spencer. You're _so much _prettier!" Hanna insisted.

Spencer sighed.

"What Hanna means to say is they're all wrong for each other. And as crazy as it sounds, I _saw_ the way he looked at you. He's still head over heels in love. Spencer, you belong together. You're soul mates!" Emily exclaimed. Hanna nodded in agreement.

They all worked on their salads quietly. Finally, Hanna got up to serve the dinner she made. She made steak with fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes.

"Glad Aria isn't here. Remember how she went through that vegan phase?" Emily asked.

Hanna laughed. "I know! No ice cream?"

They all exchanged a laugh. Even Spencer. Finally, Emily announced, "I saw her at the airport the other day. I think she's back in Rosewood."

Hanna and Spencer's jaws nearly fell on the ground. "What?!" they asked in unison.

"I was picking my mom up from the airport in Philadelphia. I saw her there. It was crazy. She didn't see me, but God, does she look the same. Her hair is just a lot longer, and her face looks aged about ten years," Emily explained.

Hanna and Spencer all thought about what their little friend looked like now. Hanna and Emily then looked to Spencer, knowing that soon enough, both halves of Team Sparia would be in the same town again. Would their friendship be the same, though?

Spencer pretended this news didn't affect her and resumed to taking tiny bites of her meal. Emily and Hanna both took swigs of the white wine, knowing things were about to change. A lot.

* * *

"Ali—"

"I mean, it's not like she fed your sister to the sharks. Maybe she's just confused. That's probably all it is."

"Al—"

"How could she just take everything and turn it so it's all about her. I mean, what about you? What about Toby? I wonder if conceited is a trait that she got from your mother…"

"Aliso—"

"Obviously it doesn't come from your father's side, because he seemed just the opposite of proud when I met him. He seemed…humble. That's the word I'm looking for. The two of you are humble. Not that there's anything wrong with some pride, but—"

"ALISON!" Dianna exclaimed, interrupting her red-headed friend. Alison snapped into attention. "Thank you," she said in a calm tone, smoothing the skirt Hanna had gifted her with.

Alison asked meekly, "Are you really staying here?"

"Yes. I'm getting my diploma in January, anyway. It's not like I'll be missing anything in school. The rest of the year is all filler until I graduate in January," Dianna insisted.

"Where are you staying?" Alison asked.

Dianna looked around the room. "Toby helped me find a small apartment. I'm just going to rent it for a few months. The rent's not that high and…I got a job as a waitress at this restaurant only like four blocks away," she explained.

Alison looked at her friend with teary eyes. "So…this is goodbye?"

Dianna couldn't help but get emotional as well. "No. It's just a…until next time," Dianna explained before pulling Alison into a hug. They laughed in each other's arms. With teary eyes, they parted ways. Dianna watched as Alison left the hotel room which Emily so graciously paid for for one more night.

She put her laptop on the hotel room desk. _Let's see what Google has to say about my mother. _

* * *

_"Mommy! Push me!" the little brown haired, brown and blue eyed girl shrieked._

_"No! Mommy! Push me first!" an identical looking girl called._

_"Mommy! You already pushed her!"_

_"That's not fair!"_

_A tall, thin brunette with deep brown eyes laughed, watching her mini-me's call desperately for her attention. Both were swinging so high, she was scared pushing them any more would cause them to do a flip over the swing set._

_"How about you try giving Mommy a break?" a blue eyed man asked, approaching the three girls. _

_"Daddy! Push me first!"_

_"No, me!"_

_Both the man and woman laughed at the children's cries. One of the girls became frustrated and stopped swinging her legs, eventually coming to a halt. _

_She pouted, "I want to go home."_

_"Analeigh, that's not what you really want, is it? Don't you want to stay and play with your sister?" the woman asked, squatting so she was eye-level with her daughter. _

_"No! Dianna is being mean!" the girl insisted. _

_"I am not! You're just angry because I can swing higher than you can!" the girl on the swings shouted._

_The man laughed. "They definitely have that Hastings competitive trait," he insisted._

_"I guess it's a dominant trait," the woman smiled. _

_The girl standing next to the woman piped up. "Can we have ice cream?"_

_The girl on the swings finally stopped, agreeing with her sister on this. "Please, Mommy? It's hot outside!" she exclaimed. _

_"Sure. Just this one time," the woman agreed, though the man was sure there would be more instances this would happen._

* * *

Analeigh woke up from this dream, feeling as though she was being mangled. There was thick smoke in the air. A sense of panic finally ran through her mind. She covered her mouth with her sleeve, trying to determine where the smoke was coming from. As she walked down the stairs, she found her answer. There was a fire on the stove, blocking the front door. Taking the steps two at a time, Analeigh recalled her high school escape route, opening the windows of her bedroom and hopping to the ground about four feet into the air. She luckily didn't get hurt, as she thought the cumbersome cast on her leg would pose quite a problem. Quickly, she backed away from the house, trying to assess the damage. She pulled out her phone, dialing 911 immediately.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"Hello? There's a fire in my house. The address is 21 Hillside Terrace."

"We're sending help right away. Please stay on the line until they arrive. Was anyone else in your house?"

"I don't know." Analeigh's mind suddenly filled with panic. "I was sleeping and I smelt the smoke, so I ran outside."

"Don't go back inside!" the operator exclaimed.

Analeigh took a deep breath, recalling how often a person died because they attempted to rescue someone who was in a burning building.

Only two or three minutes later, the fire department arrived, putting out the fire, which luckily was limited to mainly the kitchen. The firemen insisted that she be given oxygen despite her claims that she was fine.

Half an hour later, her mother called.

"Mom?"

"Analeigh? Are you okay? I heard that there had been a fire—"

"Yes, I'm fine. The kitchen, however, has seen _much _better days."

"Analeigh…I'm coming right home. I'm driving—"

"You need to get off the phone, then."

"But Analeigh—"

"Mom!"

"I'm sorry, Honey. You're—"

Suddenly, Analeigh heard tires skid all over the place. There were crashes and shatters on the other end of the line. Analeigh feared the worst and tried to figure out what was going on. There was dead silence on the other end and Analeigh didn't even want to ask anymore. She knew what happened. Mrs. Rose was dead.

* * *

The bell jingled as Miss Analeigh Maria Rose walked briskly through the door of the hair salon. She plopped herself down in the chair of her favorite stylist.

"How good of a colorist are you?" she inquired.

From my chair about five seats away, I smirked, sticking the cherry lollipop back in my mouth and lifting _Lolita_ to cover the smile which was now looming inevitably.

* * *

_That spoof you guys answered about should be up now! It's called "Life After Liv: It Doesn't Just Happen in Rosewood Anymore". _

_Recently, I've also been contemplating creating a crossover fanfiction with Santana (of Glee) and Emily. I just love Naya and Shay-I think they're so adorable. I've also been thinking about another Spoby one, but...I don't know! Till next time (maybe tomorrow)! -__**Kayson**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Author's Note: **__Hey! So, I guess you guys were pretty shocked with the death of Analeigh's adoptive mother. One can guess that Analeigh and her adoptive mother were not that close (go to the monologue in Chapter Thirteen, I think, and she talks about it). For those of you who watch Glee, I was thinking Analeigh as Quinn, a la Ryan Seacrest tattoo. There's also a little case of mistaken identity in this chapter :) Hope you enjoy it._

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

_A week after my mother's death, I feel like I've finally embraced my inner thoughts. I know it's not what everyone wants from me, but I've finally learned to stop caring on what other people think so much. Who really gives a damn, anyway? The only people you can depend on in your life are yourself._

People in the hallways stared at Analeigh, with her new, short, pink hair, dark eyeliner, and black, edgy clothes. Many looked at her as if she were a ghost. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

_Life, as a whole, sucks. Deal with it. There are no perfect endings, beginnings, or middles. People die. People change. People grow apart. By not caring, none of it matters anymore. Desensitization is the key to life. It's that fabled secret which actually exists._

Analeigh walked out of the school, meeting a few friends near a tree in the school field. She bent over as one of her new "friends" lit the cigarette hanging out of her mouth. She took a drag, satisfied when the ember tip glowed with fury. Olivia walked up to her urgently.

"What the hell, Analeigh?"

Analeigh ignored the question and took another huff.

"What happened to you?" Olivia questioned.

"I figured out the secret of life, Liv. Don't look so depressed. This is what's best for me," Analeigh insisted. Still, all emotion was lacking in her voice.

Olivia opened her mouth in pure shock. "Ruining your lungs and dying your hair an unnatural color is what's best for you? It's okay to be sad, Analeigh."

"But I'm not. Deal with it," Analeigh said, dropping the cigarette and grinding it out under her foot.

_Analeigh Rose was suppressing her inner bad girl. Sometimes it's a lot better to cut loose. That's all I'm doing. _

* * *

Emily opened the heavy wooden door to Dianna's apartment. She set down a to-go cup of coffee. "Hey, Dianna! I brought you coffee!" she shouted to Dianna. Dianna appeared from the alcove she established as her bedroom. "Americano, one sugar, just the way you like it."

Dianna smiled. "Thanks, Em," she said. She brought the sweet drink to her lips, finding comfort in the hot liquid sliding down her throat.

"So…what's up? How have things been lately? Are you getting to know your mother?" Emily asked curiously.

Dianna nodded, her lips slowly forming a smile. "At first, she was a little intimidating, but now…she's really nice. I feel bad about what happened between her and Analeigh, but I understand why Spencer said she didn't want to get involved. I don't think she meant it, though."

Emily smirked, trying to stifle a laugh, but failing entirely. "We all know she didn't mean it. If only we could get Analeigh to believe it. I just want the four of you to be happy," Emily disclosed.

"I want us to be happy, too," Dianna said, admitting what she was really feeling for so long. However, another thought came across her mind. "Even if we aren't happy together."

The very thought made Emily want to shudder. She wanted to blurt out, _Together is the only way that you'll all be really happy,_ but somehow she believed that was inappropriate in the current situation. She only nodded, and it instantly felt like a lie.

* * *

Olivia had something urgent to tell Selena. Selena was surprised to see her stop by Rosewood High School. She was in the midst of a conversation with her friend Jamie, but figured that it could wait if Olivia was really so distressed she visited her _at school. _

"Olivia? What are you doing here?" Selena asked, completely befuddled.

"I need to talk to you." Selena waited for more information. "It's about Analeigh."

Jamie, taking the hint, bid Selena goodbye. Selena turned to Olivia. "What's going on with Analeigh?" she inquired anxiously.

"She's gone insane. Like, chopped all her hair off, dyed it pink, smoking Camels outside of school after every class. I'm worried that the police are going to find her, lying in a ditch somewhere if we're not careful. I'm worried about her, Selena."

Selena bit her lip, trying to come up with a plan to save Analeigh from impending peril. "Because of her mother?"

Olivia shrugged. She continued, "That's what she says, but I'm sure it's not that. I'm almost sure it's because of her mother, and the fact that she's not helping Analeigh at a time like this."

Selena felt really awkward. Analeigh had confessed to Selena how Ms. Hastings was her mother. In retrospect, Selena wasn't sure how she missed the obvious similarities. They both looked so much alike, and there _was_ a floating rumor that Ms. Hastings was a former alcoholic who had given up a child for adoption. In fact, Selena had even heard that Ms. Hastings was from Rosewood. How else would nearly everyone in this town know about her past?

Selena summed it up to one thing. "Nosy bitches," she mumbled.

Olivia scoffed, "You said it, Sel."

* * *

Dianna was covering the midday rush in the diner, which should've been called the midday schlep. There was absolutely no one in the rustic little diner she worked in, which was located on the outskirts of Philly.

"Dianna! Can you take Table 7? I'm about to clock out," Stephanie, a light blond college student called across the kitchen.

"Sure." She took the water pitcher which was sitting on the ice cream bar and walked over to the table. She saw a woman sitting there. She was sure she recognized the woman from somewhere, but she couldn't exactly recall. The face was familiar, but the hair wasn't quite right. She had light brown hair which was dyed in an ombre effect so the tips were light blond. She was sitting quietly by herself.

"Hi, my name is Dianna and today, I'll be your waitress. Can I get you something to drink?" she asked sweetly.

The woman looked up at her. "Can I have another minute? I'm waiting for someone," she explained.

"Of course," Dianna said, walking away from the table. As she approached the front door, she saw a man not much taller than she walk by. He had brown hair and brown eyes. He looked at her.

"Analeigh?" she heard him ask.

"I'm sorry?" _I could've sworn I just heard him say 'Analeigh'. _They stood in silence for a moment.

He cleared his throat, acting as if this never happened in the first place. "Did a woman come in here? She's not very tall and has light brown hair?" he asked curiously.

Dianna nodded. "She's in that booth right there. I'll be right over to take your order," she told him.

* * *

The tip of a cigarette glowed as Analeigh took a drag. She had gotten the hang of it, succeeding in resisting the urge to choke on the first drag she took. The anxiety seeped out of her slowly before she tapped the ash off the end of the cigarette. The thick gray smoke billowed from where Analeigh was standing as she exhaled it. The same smoke tipped Selena and Olivia off as to where Analeigh was.

Selena walked up to her friend, first taken aback by how different she now looked. Her hair was now a little shorter than shoulder-length, but a bright shade of pink with bits of her original brunette shade peeking out. She was wearing darker eyeliner, and it looked like a stud was on her nose—something Olivia hadn't noticed before. She was wearing black leather booties (which she could now wear due to her absence of crutches), skin-tight leather pants, a grungy T-shirt, and a leather jacket. Her outfit alone was enough to butcher about ten cows.

Selena grabbed Analeigh's free hand. "Analeigh? What happened to you?"

Analeigh drew her hand back sharply. "I grew up, Selena. Get over it," she snapped.

Selena shook her head numbly. "No…no. This isn't you. Is this because of your mother?"

"I don't have a mother," Analeigh claimed. "I don't know where she is, but she's not here. Not in Rosewood, not in Pennsylvania, not on Earth, and not in the universe. She doesn't exist."

Selena exhaled a shaky breath. "Analeigh, please talk to me. I'm one of your best friends. Forget that; I'm your sister. Why are you acting like this? What's really bothering you? Please don't ice me out."

"People change, Selena. I've changed. Nothing's wrong with me. Yeah, my 'mother' died. People die every day. I'm talking, and by the time I finish this sentence, another thousand people could be dead," Analeigh said sharply.

"It's okay to be sad!" Selena exclaimed.

"I'm not, though. I'm accepting. Accidents happen. This day would eventually happen. Better it be now, right? Teenagers are resilient. Better yet, I've heard Hastings bounce back like super balls." Analeigh dropped the cigarette, which was still aglow, and walked away. Smoke streamed off of it until the orange glow finally wore off.

"What do we do now?" Olivia inquired about two minutes after she left.

Selena shrugged, still numb from everything.

Olivia snapped her fingers as the metaphoric light bulb went off in her head. "We'll talk to Ms. Hastings."

Selena scoffed. She scoffed again. "Are you crazy? That's like giving me sugar to calm my hyperactivity!" she exclaimed.

"Then we can talk to her father! What's his name again?"

"I don't know. She didn't say."

Olivia and Selena were stumped. Then, Selena came up with another idea. "Wait, didn't she always talk about that one girl? What's her name…she's friends with Ms. Hastings," Selena added.

Olivia nodded. "I know exactly where to find her," she replied, determined to make things right in Analeigh's life.

* * *

"No! The cashmere sweaters are not to go anywhere near those leather pants! We don't want _any _customers getting the wrong idea," Hanna scolded to her newest employee. She turned when she heard the doorbell jingle. In walked Selena and Olivia.

Hanna was quite surprised to see Olivia again. She wasn't quite sure who Selena was. "Um…hello?" she greeted.

Olivia completely ignored her confusion. "Hi. We need your help. It's about Analeigh."

Hanna sighed. "God. Did something happen to her, too?"

"Talk about multiple somethings. She's wearing so much leather that PETA will probably come after her for the amount of cows she killed. She dyed her hair bubblegum pink, and chopped it all off. And, at this rate, she'll have a smoker's cough by the time we graduate in June!" Olivia exclaimed.

Hanna pressed her hand to her face, as if trying to soothe a migraine. "Oh, God. This is worse than the time that Spencer tried to pull off leather pants. She had the body for it, but, my God did it look wrong on her," Hanna explained.

"We came here to ask you about Analeigh's father. She obviously doesn't want anything to do with her mother. Maybe he can persuade her?" Selena asked.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?" Hanna asked.

"I'm Selena. I'm a good friend of Analeigh's. And I really hate to see her like this," she added.

Hanna nodded. "Well, I wish I could say things are going to work out, but it's honestly looking like we're about to encounter a hurricane."

Olivia laughed incredulously. "Is it even humanly possible for things to get worse than they already are?" she asked.

Hanna shrugged. Finally, she said, "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Dianna brought the plates to the table. "A BLT with fries," she commented as she gave it to the light brown-haired woman. "And fish and chips," she continued as she handed it to the English man sitting in front of her.

"If you need anything else, let me know!" she added eagerly before walking away. From afar, Dianna tried to remember exactly when she saw the woman's face. She was _sure _she saw her from somewhere. She had a heart-shaped face, pretty hazel doe eyes, and perfect cupid bow lips. All in all, she'd say the woman was a very attractive package.

Leaning down on the counter, she took out her phone. Usually it was forbidden, but Dianna figured that right now it was slow; nobody would care if she started a rock concert in the corner. Besides, the manager made it a terrible habit of doing the same.

She pulled up the photos that she had. Emily had burned a lot of pictures of Spencer's past onto her phone. It was an unintended mistake, and Dianna had said she wouldn't mind deleting them all after, but secretly, she was glad to see them. Every now and then, she admitted how similar to Spencer she looked, but mostly, she was stubborn about it.

She found one of four girls. She recognized three of them as Spencer, Hanna, and Emily. She was unsure of the fourth one. But she quickly realized that the fourth girl had the same face of the patron she just served. She looked back at the woman. The only difference was that the woman sitting at her table had lighter hair and looked older. But there was no doubt in Dianna's mind that this was the fourth girl.

She soon found herself flagged down by the woman.

"Can I please have the check?" she asked.

Dianna left the check on the table. The girl put her credit card inside and gave it to Dianna.

Swiping the card in the machine, Dianna suddenly remembered the name, and was very sure that this was the girl her mother spent summers painting her nails and laughing with. _Aria Montgomery_, the card read.

* * *

_So I hope you liked it. Don't be afraid to PM me or comment with a question or two...I would like to do another Q&A soon. I'm also taking prompts, kind of as a writing exercise type thing. Anyway, thanks for reading! __**-Kayson**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Author's Note: **__Sorry to be updating so late at night, but I kind of put the fanfiction at the back of my mind. I've been stressing lately because my drama teacher is insane. But you probably don't want to hear me rant and flame on him, so I will fight the urge to bitch about him. _

_Moving on, may I just say how amused I am to hear some of your questions? I just need you to know, asking me whether or not Aria is the evil girl is like asking the writers of PLL to tell you whether or not Alison is Red Coat or some random stuff like that. Silly, silly._

_It saddens me to think about this, but this story is about half over. I feel like it's my baby. The end being soon in the future saddens me so much. _

_But don't worry. there's still about another eighteen or nineteen chapters left (for what I think...I've written up to chapter 23, and I still have a lot more going on in my mind)._

_Enjoy! Warning: Some Spoby fluff ahead, and you guys may hate me later. I am such a tease ;)_

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

Buildings, mountains, rivers, and miles of sky zoomed past the car train. The only sounds Analeigh could hear were those of the train speeding on the tracks and the song which she was listening to.

_I'm coming home real soon_

_Please leave the light on for me_

_Tell me that you'll always be true_

_And you'll be the only one for me_

She couldn't stand another second of the song and instantly hated Selena for downloading it on her phone. She went to the next song.

_For you I was a flame_

_Love is a losing game_

_Five-story fire as it came_

_Love is a losing game_

_One I wish I never played_

_Oh, what a mess we made_

Analeigh's nerves settled as she decided this song was better in describing her emotions at the moment. She closed her eyes and listened to Amy Winehouse's sweet and smooth vocals.

She wondered what would happen if Spencer hadn't made such a big mess. She supposed that it was unreasonable to blame Toby in all of this—he wasn't the person to give them up for adoption, and wasn't the person to sink into a downward spiral only to rise again and send her estranged daughter down in a similar fashion. Analeigh simmered just thinking about it. She looked at her surroundings. The river was beautiful. Analeigh wasn't quite sure where she was going, but knew that she had to piece together what happened to all members of her family if she wanted to fully understand what happened to Dianna, whose first five years went unaccounted for.

* * *

_"Shh, shh, shh," she said, rocking the baby girl in her arms gently, trying to rock her to sleep. "Baby, just relax. Mommy has you," she cooed._

_The baby reached up with her arms. Her brown and blue eyes had sleep in them, and the little girl yawned. The woman smiled. _

_"Come on. I promise to be here when you wake up. Analeigh…just sleep, baby," she pleaded sweetly. _

_The girl's eyes began to flutter, until they remained shut. The patterned rise and fall of her chest indicated she was fast asleep. The woman put the baby back in her crib and sighed at the sweet, picturesque scene in front of her. Suddenly, she felt strong arms around her. She smiled before turning around and looking at the blue eyes. _

_"I thought you had work today," she said quietly._

_"I thought you had school today," he imitated her. "Wasn't Hanna supposed to come and help?"_

_She blushed at the feel of his callused fingers grazing her cheek. The color rose to her cheeks, and she felt lightheaded at the moment. The euphoria she felt around him just seemed to never fade. Their honeymoon phase would simply never end. _

_"I decided to spend the day with Analeigh and Dianna. One day, we're going to be longing for when they were this little. They actually wanted to be around us. Before we know it, they'll be slamming doors, claiming they hate us, and sneaking off with boys," she explained._

_He laughed somewhat sardonically. "The day that happens is the day that you'll have to bail me out of jail."_

_She shook her head. "I won't have to, because you're not going to hit anyone. Not on my watch," she demanded. _

_He smiled at her. "I love how you get so assertive. I also love that look you get in your eyes when someone challenges you. Is it determination? I love the way your eyes sparkle when you accomplish someone. I love the way you don't back down from a challenge. I even love the things that you hate. The way you wrinkle your nose when you get frustrated; the way you can't stop until something is done; how you begin to babble when you get nervous. I love everything about you. I love you. I love you more than you'll ever know. We've been through so much together, and I can't imagine what it would be like to lose you. That's why I never want to."_

_She gasped as he got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"_

_She was too speechless. She stared down at the small but beautiful ring with watery eyes…_

"SPENCER!"

Spencer snapped out of her half-asleep dream. Hanna walked into her room, looking around for items of hers strewn about Spencer's room. Hanna made a terrible habit of throwing things of hers all around the apartment.

"What is it, Hanna?" she inquired, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Hanna sighed melodramatically. "If you had listened the first three times I said it, you would've heard that I'm leaving for the weekend. Emily needs help with something with her new apartment. I didn't ask. Just wanted to make sure you're okay here alone," she said.

Spencer nodded, though she really didn't think it through. "I'll be fine."

As Hanna began to throw things randomly in her bag, Spencer cleared her throat. "I was thinking of calling Aria."

Hanna didn't even look up. "Good for you." With two fingers, she curiously picked up Spencer's lace underwear off of the floor. "Ahem…what was _this _doing lying conspicuously on the floor?"

Spencer snatched them away from Hanna. "My dresser threw up and I didn't get all the clothes," she said.

Hanna raised an eyebrow. "You can tell me if you had company, Spencer. It's not like we're still in high school, and you're sneaking boys up your window and into your bedroom," she explained.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "I haven't had anyone over."

* * *

"You saw _Aria Montgomery_?!" Emily inquired in utter shock.

Dianna nodded. "She looks nearly the same. She was just a little bit more mature-looking, and her hair was different. She had an ombre effect, and it went from this light brown to blond," Dianna announced.

Emily shook her head. "No, you couldn't have seen her. I saw her in the airport just over a week ago. Her hair was brown!" she exclaimed.

"It was definitely her," Dianna argued.

Emily was completely stumped.

* * *

Analeigh stood in the entrance of the small motel room. It had a single bed, a small desk, a chair, and a lamp. There was also a bedside table with a lamp. Analeigh walked into the bathroom, dumping the contents of her bag on the counter.

Analeigh herself was a little surprised to see all of the things she had in one bag. There was mascara, gum, her phone, lipstick, lip gloss, moisturizer, tissues, her train ticket, a map, her wallet, a wad of $2000, and a picture of Dianna's house (or what would've been her house, had she stayed with the Appleby's). There was also another unusual thing which Analeigh discovered.

_Analeigh tiptoed quietly into Spencer's room, as not to wake up Hanna. She looked around the room with her small flashlight. Peeking underneath Spencer's bed, she found the box of Dianna's things. She opened it slowly and found all of the things Spencer's private investigator discovered about her twin. There was everything in that box, down from Dianna's Christmas photos to candid pictures of her playing in the spacious lawn of the Applebys' manor. _

_There was also a newspaper article about a young girl who went missing—Dianna Appleby—ensuing a large fire which killed Mr. and Mrs. Appleby. The girl was presumed dead, but…who really knows what happened to her?_

Analeigh looked at the newspaper article again.

_MANSION BURNED DOWN; TWO DEAD, ONE MISSING IN FIVE-ALARM BLAZE_

Her stomach churned at the very thought of that. She had never read the entire article, so she dreadfully continued the story.

_Mr. Matthew Appleby, Mrs. Stephanie Appleby, and their three-year old daughter Dianna Appleby were caught in the five-alarm blaze which set their Beach Terrace mansion on fire last Thursday. Mr. and Mrs. Appleby were later found dead in the remains of their mansion. Their daughter, Dianna, is still missing. She is presumed dead._

Analeigh gulped when she read the next sentences.

_It is believed that the fire was set intentionally, but there are no suspects at the time. For any information about who may have started this fire, please contact Justin Graves at the Wyomissing Police Department at—_

She threw the yellowed newspaper across the bathroom. She stormed out, opening her suitcase and taking out the computer.

_How do you get to Beach Terrace? Google, help me out here._

Analeigh found the directions. She copied them down, picked up her sunglasses, her jacket, and bag, leaving for Beach Terrace.

* * *

Hanna walked into Toby's apartment as soon as he opened the door. He couldn't even process what was going on before Hanna sprung it on him.

"We need to talk?"

He closed the door with a definitive _slam._ "If it's about Spencer—"

"There are problems bigger than you and Spencer." She looked Toby over once. "It's about Analeigh. You need to help her. She's not going to listen to Spencer since she burned a bridge. Maybe she'll listen to you," Hanna explained.

"What's wrong?" Toby asked, the concern audible in his voice.

Hanna sighed. "Ask what's right if you want a better answer." He didn't respond. She continued, "Her birth mother passed away in a car accident, and now her friends say that she's resorted to an ungodly amount of leather and enough cigarettes to give her a smoker's cough within the next six months."

Toby looked hurt. How could things have gotten so screwed up? "Where is she now?"

Hanna took another deep breath. "That's the thing; we don't know. I spoke to her friend Olivia this morning. She said that Analeigh just left. No sign of where she went or where she was going. She was just…gone."

_Where could she have gone? _Fear ran through Toby's mind, fearing the worst. But as long as there weren't traces of her DNA or limbs of hers on the side of the road, he would have hope.

The door flung open.

"Is this…_Dianna?_"

Hanna turned around to see Nicole, standing there with some shopping bags in one hand. Hanna feared what would be thrown at Toby when she left.

She shook her head. "My name is Hanna. Who are you?"

Nicole looked at her with a look of confusion. "I'm Nicole…" she trailed off, giving Toby a toxic look. "…Toby's fiancé."

Hanna was very surprised to hear this. She turned to Toby. "Okay, then." She whispered to Toby: "When were you planning on telling me about your _fiancé? _When someone clipped out your wedding announcement in the newspaper and sent it to Spencer?"

Nicole cleared her throat. "Is there a problem?" she asked bitterly.

"No. Not at all. I was just leaving," Hanna insisted.

She began to push past Nicole, who stopped her.

"You stay. I think I'm the one unwelcome here."

Without any further protest, she left the apartment just as quickly as she came in. Toby turned back to Hanna.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you or Spencer, but I just…I didn't know how to," Toby explained.

"Do you still love her?"

Toby was baffled. "It happened seventeen years ago—"

Hanna shook her head. "That's not an answer."

He sighed. "Maybe. She walked in looking so beautiful and I just remembered everything. I remembered our dates. I remembered everything that made me love her."

She groaned in aggravation. "Now it's just a matter of…the X factor."

"Nicole is a nice person. I—"

"—Don't love her. You don't. You're in love with Spencer. You want you, Spencer, Dianna, and Analeigh to be a family. And if you could, you'd go back in time to convince Spencer to keep them. Even if things were really hard, it would be worth it, right?"

Numbly, Toby nodded. Then he cleared his throat. "I can't. But I'm still going to do whatever I can to help Dianna and Analeigh."

"Good. Because Analeigh needs your help," Hanna declared.

Toby looked at her. They exchanged looks of fear.

* * *

Spencer took a sip of the espresso sitting in front of her. She began to play games on her phone as she waited in boredom.

"Spence?"

Spencer looked up to see none other than Melissa. She looked very guilty, and only Spencer knew why.

* * *

_Like I said, such a tease._

_I apologize in advance if I don't update in a timely matter next week, but it's Tech week for the play, and I can only expect 3:30 to 8:30 rehearsals, maybe later. You will be lucky if I don't update from my grave at the end of this week. _

_Until next time! __**-Kayson**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**Author's Note: **__Hey! So I just got a glowing review, which persuaded me to upload chapter nineteen. I hope you enjoy! I apologize in advance for this being the last chapter for about a week. I know I'm a little better than a lot of people on this site about updating (still waiting on a major cliffhanger which was last updated nearly a month ago...), so I'm sorry that you guys will have to wait a while. I promise, the wait will be worth it. If I do say so myself, Chapter Twenty is probably my favorite so far. We get to take a look into the past. Ooooh, spooky!_

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

She slid into the booth across from Spencer. She looked down at the menu sheepishly before looking her little sister in the eye. "How are you?"

Spencer glared at her. "Cut the crap, Melissa. What do you want from me?" she inquired angrily.

Tears began to form on the edges of Melissa's eyes. "I'm sorry, Spencer. I'm sorry that you hate me, but I deserve it. What I did was horrible. I feel horrible."

"You ruined everything! How can I ever forgive you?"

"I didn't want to do it! I was trying to do what was best for you!" Melissa exclaimed. "And there was money…there was so much money."

Spencer turned from angry to confused. "What money are you talking about?"

"He offered me all of that money…it was enough to pay off school loans and pay all of those hospital bills I had from Taylor. It was enough to pay for IVF treatments when the doctors told me I was infertile!" she explained.

"You convinced me to give Dianna and Analeigh away for _money?_" Spencer asked, completely disgusted.

Melissa shook her head. "There was something else. Something I can't tell you. And I did what I thought was best for you. You were only eighteen, Spence," Melissa said.

"Don't call me that. Only _my friends_ can call me that," she snapped.

Melissa was taken aback. "I want to tell you everything, Spencer! But…" her voice became low, like a whisper, "I'm scared they'll hurt someone else."

Spencer's expression remained unwavering. Inside, her stomach did a thousand flip-flops.

* * *

Analeigh slammed the car door closed, looking at the sight before her and the picture she had from so many years ago. Where there once stood a clean, white, beautiful mansion was an open field, with some trees in the back, and an old wood shed. Analeigh wondered if going on the property would be trespassing. When she didn't see a big KEEP OUT sign or any neighbors very close by, she wandered over.

The grass was overgrown, but not so tall which Analeigh was frightened to see what was roaming around her feet. She walked into the old wooden shed. There was old, decaying wood, which she decided wouldn't do her any good. But something on the dirt floor of the abandoned shed caught her eye.

She picked up a golden pin which was lying on the ground. It looked tarnished and rusty, so she couldn't quite make out what was written on it. She simply saw the numbers _2012. _

There was a sudden rustle in the bushes. She could hardly make out the whispery sound, but she did follow the sound.

The several shades of green throughout the forest made Analeigh speechless. It was so beautiful there. Despite how overgrown it was, there was some kind of subtle beauty.

Out of nowhere, she heard a bullet, and using some sixth sense, she knew it was right near her. She gasped loudly as she ducked behind a tree, still unsure of exactly where it came from.

"Who's there?" a raspy voice asked.

Analeigh was unsure of whether or not she should answer.

"Oh, relax, Austin! It's probably no one!" a girl scolded.

"I saw something, Dallas. They were in the woods."

She scoffed, "I didn't see anything." There was a break in their conversation. Analeigh held her breath. "Would you like me to go in there first?"

As the footsteps drew nearer, Analeigh's heartbeat quickened. She saw a tall, dirty blond girl about ten feet away from her. She closed her eyes. _If you can't see them, they can't see you._

"I can see you!" she called to Analeigh.

_Damn. _Analeigh stood up and the girl smiled.

"You don't have to be scared. Well, he did just fire at you. Maybe you should be a little scared." The girl smiled at Analeigh. "I'm Dallas. That's Austin. I promise you, his gunshots are a lot worse than his bite," she explained, offering her hand.

Analeigh reluctantly shook it. "I'm Analeigh. I'm sorry if I'm trespassing. I was just looking for…something," she said very vaguely.

"These woods belong to the state. Ever since that bad fire here fourteen years ago, nobody wants to live around this place." Dallas expressed a concerned look. "Did you lose something in these woods? There's a saying that when you lose something here, you're never getting it back. But we can help you look."

She shook her head graciously. "No, thank you. I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for. I'm just…looking."

Dallas tried to figure out what exactly Analeigh was there for. She returned to Austin, who was sure that Analeigh was up to no good.

"She's trouble, Dallas."

"Shush. I'm trying to figure out what a girl like her would want here."

Something clicked in Dallas's mind. "Did you know that girl who went missing?" she asked.

Analeigh nodded, slightly freaked out as to how Dallas could figure it out. "How did you know that?" Analeigh questioned.

"My sixth sense," Dallas explained. She looked Analeigh over once more. "If you're here about that girl, I know the person you might want to see. My father worked with Mr. Appleby, and he's the town police chief. If someone knows something, it's him," she assured Analeigh.

Not knowing quite why, Analeigh trusted Dallas, who, along with a rather skeptical Austin, brought Analeigh back to a rickety old house near the edge of the other end of the woods.

* * *

_What if she sees me? What if she's dangerous? What if she's unhappy to see Toby and Spencer's daughter? Oh, screw it, Dianna. Just go for it. _

Dianna jumped out of her car and walked briskly up to Aria, who was walking into an apartment building. She wasn't sure whether or not subtle or dramatic would be the way to go. _Go for subtle. I'm not that ballsy. _She sighed and walked past Aria, who quickly took notice of Dianna. In fact, there was a strange look in her eyes. Dianna couldn't quite place it. Was it jealousy? Anger? Curiosity?

"Excuse me," Aria said, capturing Dianna's attention. "Can I ask you your name?"

"Dianna," Dianna answered. "Dianna Cavanaugh."

Aria's eyes sparkled for a mere moment. "Are you Toby Cavanaugh's daughter?" Dianna nodded. "I knew your mother and father."

This piqued fake-interest in Dianna. _Like I didn't already know. _"Oh? Please, tell me more."

* * *

Dallas led Analeigh to a room which was overrun with papers and police reports. A slim, older man was sitting behind the desk of the room. "Dad, there's a girl here who's looking for something about Dianna Appleby. Do you know anything?"

The man looked up at Analeigh. His blue eyes shined. "You know Dianna Appleby? She's alive?"

Analeigh gulped and nodded, not entirely sure whether or not she should disclose this information. "She is. But she goes by the name Dianna Cavanaugh now," Analeigh replied.

"Huh," he commented. Then, he looked through a drawer which Analeigh could faintly make out read OBSOLETE CASES. He opened it to look through the A's and find APPLEBY ARSON. "I don't know whether or not I should give you this. Considering how long ago this happened, I don't think it'll do me any good." He handed off the file to her. "This case has us all stumped. If you can figure it out…well, be my guest," he announced.

Analeigh smiled. "Thank you, so much." She put the file in her bag, then turning back to the man in front of her. "Did you know the Appleby's?"

He nodded. "I did. Their daughter was the sweetest little girl ever. Everyone was so worried that she had been killed. She was so small, everyone was sure they had missed her body in the debris. Anybody who knew her will be extremely happy to know that she's alive and well, out there somewhere."

Analeigh thought about all of the people whose days would be made just because they heard that a sweet little girl was alive and well, fourteen years later.

Analeigh piped up. "What about Mr. and Mrs. Appleby?" she asked.

He laughed for a moment. "They were some of the best people in the world. Every time someone new showed up on the block, Mrs. Appleby would bake a pie and bring it to them. I remember when I showed up, twenty-five years ago, she made me an apple pie. It was without a doubt the best I've ever had," he assured her.

"She sounded sweet…" she thought aloud.

"She was." He daydreamed for a moment. He then turned his attention back to Analeigh. "You best be going, now. If you find out who did take that little girl, or who set fire to the house, come back!" he exclaimed.

Dallas led Analeigh back out of the door. "Good luck," she wished Analeigh.

Analeigh walked out, and into her car, anxious to see what was in that file. She opened it, and the first thing she saw were photos from surveillance cameras the night of the arson. Analeigh gasped when she saw the picture. There was a black, hooded figure with gasoline and a book of matches. There was a close enough photo so Analeigh could make out the features on part of the person's face. The wisps of dark hair, the angular jaw, the full lips…they all led back to one person.

Analeigh's heart broke as her lips whispered, "Spencer."

* * *

Spencer ran out of the rain and into her apartment building with tears in her eyes. She fumbled for her keys and jiggled them in the doorknob in order for the door to open. Her mascara-stained eyes were soon filled with anger when she saw who was waiting for her in her apartment.

"What do you want?!" she demanded.

Wren stood up. He looked genuinely concerned for Spencer. However, Spencer knew better than to trust the cold-hearted snake.

"Spencer. I needed to talk to you. Alone," he said, taking her hand.

"Don't touch me! My sister snitched. I know you're the one who put her up to this. Don't play dumb. I know you're who convinced her to convince me!" she shouted.

His disposition turned icy. "You can't act innocent forever. The audience cries for the victim, but they have a way of groaning when the same person plays the damsel in distress over and over," he taunted. "You knew well what you were doing fourteen years ago. How does it feel to know you're part of the reason why your daughter was abused?"

Spencer leaned her head back against the wall. "I didn't know that when I trusted you. I wanted her back. I was desperate. I trusted you out of desperation. I see now that it was a mistake," Spencer said. There was an edge present in her voice, but by looking at her, you could see that edge was out of her own guilt, not so much from her anger. "You fooled me. You fooled Melissa. Congratulations. You did what many people consider an impossible task; you fooled not one, but two Hastings. But the only prize you'll ever get is the satisfaction of seeing us both down." She looked him over once. "Enjoy the view while you can. My sister and I are going to come back stronger. And once we get up, you can rest assured that we're not going to back down. Fool me twice, consider yourself screwed," she said bravely. She took a deep breath out of pride.

His brown eyes turned cold. "You'll never understand that I did it all for you. You were too young and emotionally and financially unprepared, Spencer. And how could you ever be sure that Toby wouldn't leave you again?"

"He never left me. He's loyal. I know he's never going to leave our daughters as sure as the sun comes up every day. He's never going to hurt them the way you hurt me. He's not mine any more, but his heart will always belong to those girls. I stopped caring about what happens to me and him for a while now. I've cared more about his relationships with Analeigh and Dianna," Spencer explained.

"Didn't you say you wanted to start over? With someone else?"

"As enticing as that sounds, you can be sure as hell that someone isn't you. I could _never_ love someone like you. You're too much like me. You care too much about winning. I _need _someone like Toby. Someone who is gentle and kind and cares more about the fun in getting to the destination than the prize." Spencer laughed sarcastically. "I guess second best is all I'll get now…" she trailed off.

She turned back to Wren. "You have to leave. I'm done with you. I want you out."

She looked into his brown eyes. "For good."

* * *

_So, like I mentioned before, that's probably the last thing you'll be reading of mine until either Friday or Saturday, if I'm not dead by then. Please favorite, follow, review! __**-Kayson**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note: **__Somehow, I managed to do it! But don't expect to hear from me again until Saturday. I have practices tomorrow and Thursday until 10 PM (o_o) and I somehow think that I will be lacking the sleep to update until then. But I promise that Chapter 21 will be worth it. It's one of my favorites so far!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

Analeigh looked up from the map in front of her. _This should be it. _She looked to see the Department of Human Services. She marched into the building, dead-set on leaving with some answers. She clutched Dianna's birth certificate like it was a piece of gold.

She walked in the building. She spotted a woman with blond hair pulled back into an elegant updo typing away furiously at the office desk. The woman finally noticed Analeigh. "May I help you?"

Analeigh nodded. "Yes. I…I'm looking for answers."

The woman looked at her curiously. She took off the black framed glasses. "Aren't we all? Can you be a little more specific?"

Analeigh gulped. "My sister was adopted. But somehow, she got placed in the foster care system. And she was abused in nearly every possible way since then. She's practically an adult now, but I want to know how exactly people could just witness her abuse and sit through it all."

The woman shook her head, as she, herself was bewildered. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to help you."

"Are there any physical records? Papers? Anything that could tell me what exactly happened to her? Even she doesn't remember."

"I'm sorry," the woman began sympathetically, "but I can't help you. Those records are confidential and you can't get to them without a warrant or something like that."

"Well, then we'll make one."

Both the woman and Analeigh turned around to see who made that statement. She had a striking resemblance to Spencer. She looked a little older, but she was certainly related to Spencer.

Analeigh looked at her with hopeful eyes, longing to see if she was some type of guardian angel. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"I'm your Aunt Melissa. I'm also one of the top attorneys in Philadelphia, and I've decided that I want to look into adopting Dianna," she announced.

* * *

"I don't think that Analeigh could have gotten very far," Emily said hopefully.

Hanna scoffed. "You would not believe what teenagers are capable of nowadays. And based on what Analeigh's house looks like, wherever she went, getting there didn't make a big dent in her trust fund."

Emily stopped. In a domino effect, Hanna stopped as well. "What is it, Em?" she asked.

Emily was staring at a girl. Her hair had streaks of blond in the otherwise mixed-shade brown hair. Her hair was different, but the identity of the girl was obvious. She was wearing heels no less than four inches, but still barely five-and-a-half feet tall; her skin was perfectly tanned and crystal-clear; her full lips were colored a perfect peach shade, and not a single thing on her outfit looked out of place.

"Mona."

Mona looked up at Hanna, who just said her name. Timidly, she smiled at her. "Long time, no see, Han."

* * *

"I'm sorry. You want to _what?_" Analeigh asked, puzzled.

"I'm concerned that Dianna is being abused again, and why shouldn't she be adopted by someone who's a part of her real family?" Melissa questioned.

The woman stood, blinking being her only form of expression. "Okay." She stood for a moment more, before turning back to her desk. "I'll need a moment to get those papers and documents," she announced.

"Of course," Melissa answered.

Analeigh turned to her. "You're Spencer's sister?" she asked. Melissa nodded. "Why do you want to do this? Why shouldn't Spencer do it herself?"

"I know my sister. She's stubborn. And she's smart, but she didn't go to school to be a lawyer. Since I couldn't convince her to come here herself, I've decided I'm the next best thing," Melissa explained.

"What does adopting Dianna have to do with anything?" Analeigh inquired, confused.

"In the state of Pennsylvania, perspective parents are allowed to look at the records of the child they wish to adopt. Call me crazy, but I'm sure your mother wouldn't have known that."

Analeigh mumbled, "Well she seems like a bit of a smart-ass…"

Melissa nodded in agreement. "She's smart, but Spencer has a way of being very confident. Too confident, even. And Dianna is my niece—I want what's best for her, too," she stated.

Analeigh nodded. The woman came back. "These are her records, and these are the papers for adopting her." She looked at Melissa expectantly. "Would you like to take these home and think about it?"

Melissa nodded. "I'll have to make sure this is what I want…" she trailed off and turned to Analeigh. "Maybe this is more suited for my sister."

"These papers are still confidential, and you're liable for them," the woman warned Melissa.

She replied, "I'm well aware. Thank you."

Analeigh followed Melissa out of the building. "What was that?"

"All Spencer needs is some convincing." Melissa was about to put the things into her bag when Analeigh took them out of her hands. "Hey! What are you doing?"

Analeigh looked through the papers. "Finding out what happened to my sister."

* * *

"What are you doing here again, Mona?" Hanna inquired.

Mona looked at her with innocent eyes. "I told you, Hanna. I was in Paris for a while, studying fashion, but I decided it would be best for me to come back here."

Hanna's blue eyes turned into ice. "What are you really here for?" she interrogated.

Mona looked at the floor. "I'm not lying, Hanna. I didn't want to cause trouble for anyone. I just wanted to come back to Rosewood." She looked up at her with the same innocent, hazel eyes. "I wanted to make amends and maybe bury my past. I don't want to be known as that crazy girl who stalked girls in her school because she was jealous of their popularity," she admitted.

Somehow, Hanna had to accept this. Emily, however, didn't. "So you're saying that you know nothing about all of the messed up crap that's happening to all of us now? Am I supposed to believe that?"

"You don't have to believe anything. But that's the truth."

Hanna pulled Emily aside. Mona sat there as Hanna discussed the topic with Emily. "She's telling the truth, Emily," Hanna insisted.

Emily was incredulous. "How can you be sure?"

"I know her tell. Whenever she lies, she either purses her lips or plays with her hair. When she's lying about being upset, her lower lip trembles," Hanna explained. Emily was a little weary of how observant Hanna was. They both walked back over to Mona. Hanna sat across from her.

"I miss you, Hanna. I screwed up. I probably don't deserve to be your friend, but you've done so much for me; I want to do the same for you. I don't want you to hate me, and I want you to forgive me eventually," Mona cried. Hanna knew she wasn't lying about that either.

She sighed. "All the hell you put us through…it solidified our friendship. It made us stronger…" she relented. "It's not going to be easy, Mona. But I don't want to hate you for what you did, either. People change. They grow up. And even though it doesn't look like you grew too much," Hanna began as Mona laughed, "you seem to have changed."

Mona's eyes were full of gratitude. They seemed to thank Hanna.

"Do you want to go out for drinks later?" Emily even offered. Mona smiled and nodded in acceptance.

* * *

Melissa stirred the milk into her coffee as she waited to tell Analeigh what was weighing so heavy on her conscience. "I know you just met me, but I have a lot to tell you, Analeigh." She awaited a reaction from Analeigh, but got none. "Even if you don't like what I have to say, I need you to know everything that I know. That's why I'm helping you know, I guess; I _want_ to know what happened to Dianna. I was there the night of that fire," she explained.

She looked up to view Analeigh's reaction. She had none, except for "Go on."

Melissa sighed. "I was there…I was the one who helped Wren set fire to the Appleby house. I wanted to go inside to save Mr. and Mrs. Appleby, but Wren told me I would die if I didn't get out. I took Dianna out of the house, and I wanted to bring her back to Spencer; Wren told me that Spencer wanted nothing to do with her, or with either of you. I believed him. I don't remember what happened afterwards, but I just knew that Dianna was off his hands. I never asked what he did, because…I thought she was dead. I figured ignorance is bliss," Melissa explained.

Analeigh shook her head. "Who is Wren?" she asked.

"Wren Kingston."

The name clicked in Analeigh's mind. "Doctor Kingston?" Melissa nodded. "Oh my God," she muttered. "That's why I saw him doing in the hospital…he must have been tampering with Dianna's birth certificate, or something," she thought aloud.

"What could he want with Dianna's birth certificate?" Melissa asked.

"I don't know. Could he tamper with hospital records from there?"

"I don't think so; not unless she was treated in the hospital in Rosewood," she explained.

Analeigh drew a blank.

Meanwhile, a light bulb went off in Melissa's head. "What exactly did Wren say?"

Analeigh shook her head. "It wasn't anything that Wren said. It was what the woman with him said. She said something like, 'If we get caught, I'm selling you out; you're stealing, not me.'"

"Maybe they weren't tampering with anything. Maybe they were taking medication from the hospital," Melissa offered.

Analeigh shrugged. "Then why would they be on the computer in the office?"

"Maybe they needed to change the hospital records. They might've had to change the shipment amount of a certain drug or something like that. I wouldn't put anything past Wren. Logically, a lot of things don't make sense with him, but statistically, he knows how to cover his tracks. He's like a phantom."

* * *

Spencer arose from the bed. She was wearing his shirt. The sickening, overwhelming scent of cologne wafted from the shirt she had borrowed. She tiptoed out into the living room. On the table, she saw medical files. She found the one she was looking for, which—unsurprisingly—was not supposed to be there. _Cavanaugh, Dianna A. _She peeked over his shoulder, to make sure he wasn't looking. But she also stumbled upon a load of others which really shouldn't have been there. _Rose, Analeigh M.; Hastings, Spencer J.; Cavanaugh, Toby. _Deciding there was no time to waste, she fled the scene quickly, shoving all four files in her bag to see exactly what Wren knew.

In her car, she began to read. She was most intrigued by Dianna's. She saw Dianna's birth certificate and smiled. Her smile faded when she looked at the information. It had been tampered with. The name for the mother was filled out, but that for the father was not. But Toby was there. And on the original certificate Spencer had, Toby's name was there. That could mean only one thing—Wren had messed with the birth certificates. She looked through more of her things. She found a copy of Dianna's adoption certificate. She also found the list of allergies, injuries, and etc. Unbeknownst to Spencer, Dianna was allergic to morphine, and soon noticed Analeigh was, as well. She recalled how Analeigh wasn't given morphine the day of her car accident. Suddenly, she remembered how Toby was allergic to it, as well.

Little did Spencer know that I was watching her from about sixty feet away. "What is she doing?" I asked quietly. I took binoculars and looked exactly at what she had in her hands. I gasped as I realized she figured out the plans. I looked to my right. Bags of morphine were sitting beside me.

Suddenly, I smiled devilishly, remembering that she had no way of knowing what _I_ was planning. She couldn't know. She didn't even know I was back in town. It's impossible.

I was less than a hundred feet away from her, and I was getting away with ruining her life. It was like high school all over again, but oh, how the mighty have fallen. The Great Spencer Hastings was losing everything, and I wasn't. I was winning.

* * *

_I just wanted to say, I uploaded a photo a few days ago of what I picture Analeigh and Dianna looking like. It's on my Tumblr, which is "minimsrachelberry". It should be the last photo I uploaded or second to last. I picture her eyes being more brown, though, and Analeigh has lighter hair than Dianna. But, anyway, it got the point across. __**-Kayson**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**Author's Note: **__Sorry about the wait, but tonight is the last showing of the play (and will be the first time this week I actually get a spare moment to breathe). I'll stop beating around the bush. Here is chapter 21, and don't be afraid to ask questions in the reviews!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Dianna tapped her nails on the counter of the coffee shop in Philadelphia. She couldn't stand waiting anymore. She was tired of being patient. She questioned the Aria girl, but she scurried off just as soon as she popped up. So she was going on an adventure of her own.

"Thank you," she said to the barista who handed her a mocha frappachino. She picked the duffel bag up off the floor and made her way to a couch in the shop. She opened up her daily reading.

Shortly after staying with Spencer, she discovered Spencer's diary collection from the years after Spencer had given Analeigh and Dianna up for adoption. It could've been the answer to everything.

Dianna read the first page of the diary.

_October 28__th__, 2012_

_It's been twelve days since I gave Dianna and Analeigh away. I'm not sure if this will actually help, but Toby thinks that it's a good idea. _

_I went to see Dr. Sullivan today, and she gave me this diary. I'm hoping that writing about all the crap I've been through will be therapeutic. She suggested to write whatever. Maybe I'm writing this as some hope that someone will read it one day and listen to my story. And in order to understand my story, I guess I'll have to start from the beginning._

_All the crap started the summer I met Alison DiLaurentis. _

_She was a pretty blond, blue-eyed girl. She was so clever, and she helped me meet Aria, Hanna, and Emily. We became the best of friends._

Dianna jumped about four or five pages later, after all of the mayhem and murder was introduced. She skipped to the part where Spencer introduced Toby.

_And along came this perfect, blue-eyed, gentleman. He was perfect in pretty much every way possible. If he wasn't perfect, he was as close as one could get. Toby Cavanaugh walked into my life. Despite the things A made me and my friends go through and the torture that was everyday life, Toby pulled me through it all. Hurting him because of that bitch was the worst feeling ever, and I would never want to do it a third time._

_Of course, fate got in the way of the life I had (possibly prematurely) planned for us to have. No more was waiting until after college to marry, owning a house with a picket fence and a dog, and then having his children. _

_Of course, I had to get pregnant. It wasn't that I didn't love Toby enough. It wasn't that I was unhappy carrying his children. It was that I couldn't be the mother of a little boy or girl so young. As much as I wanted to keep the child, I knew it would be selfish. I didn't want to deprive an innocent child of things they needed. Although it would be wonderful if love could be enough, that's unfortunately not the case. Neither Toby nor I would be able to provide a comfortable life. We would barely be making ends meet._

_To make matters worse, I discovered it was not one, but two baby girls. _

_As painful as it was to hold them and then say goodbye, it was what I had to do. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I could feel Toby's heart break once more, and that crushed me. I felt as though that one decision single-handedly ruined two lives. And it wasn't either of the girls'. _

_Toby asked me if marrying him could sway my decision to keep them. I saw sorrow in those blue glassy eyes. Even though it was so hard to say no to him on any other day, I had to say it. Now, I wish I had given in. I realize now that love was more important than money ever would be. I keep trying to convince myself that I'll bounce back and this was for the better, but…I know I'll never forget this mistake which will likely shape the rest of my life. _

Dianna skipped several pages ahead to about when her alcoholism supposedly started.

_January 1__st__, 2013_

_Today, I woke up with a terrible hangover. Toby and Hanna were both extremely concerned. But me? I didn't care anymore._

_I realized that the throbbing, numbing, shooting pain which can only be attributed to a hangover was nothing compared to the war which was raging in my mind. Every day since I've given Dianna and Analeigh up, I've sunken deeper and deeper into a depression. It's gotten so bad. _

_And this is the day when I realize that things don't matter anymore. I have nothing left to live for. Toby is pulling away—though, can I really blame him? People are leaving, moving on with their lives, while I'm still reliving the past; those days when life was worth living seem so far away. I told myself that I'd stop thinking about Dianna and Analeigh, but that feat is impossible. _

Dianna's heart broke for Spencer. That feeling must have been the worst in the world. She skipped even farther.

_May 23__rd__, 2015_

_Today, Toby left. I can't say I'm surprised. He deserves a lot more than me. I'm a mess. _

_Hanna checked me into rehab. I'm so glad. I'm writing this from inside. I've had the shakes and gone through that withdrawal, but I'm sure it'll be a lot better than the omnipresent hangovers and the lingering stench of vodka and tequila. I can't say one of my true loves in the world was liquor. It actually tastes disgusting. But I needed some kind of escape. I needed a way to numb the pain. I needed some way to stop thinking of the girls. _

_I'm worried I may have damaged my liver. I drank a bottle of liquor every day. How I was able to afford it, I can't quite remember. But it must have done severe damage to my body. That's over a thousand bottles since my addiction began._

Dianna winced at that. Still, Spencer seemed perfectly fine.

_June 29__th__, 2015_

_Of course, when things start to look up, it all goes wrong again._

_Today, I was thirty-seven days sober, but somebody just had to come and ruin things for me again. _

_The bitch was back._

_At about seven thirty-two, Jenna the Green Eyed Monster showed up to visit me in rehab. She looked nearly exactly the same as the last time I had seen her. _

_She greeted me. She informed me that Toby had left for California. I wasn't sure why she was doing this, or the exact reason, but I knew that she knew it would get to me. Her smirk was confident, her demeanor was entitled. _

_I lunged at her. I can't even remember the exact reason. Well, at that moment, I was signed over to Radley. I was being placed back into the House of Horrors. I wasn't sure what was awaiting me there, but I knew it wouldn't be pretty._

Dianna wondered what Radley was. Or, rather, where it was.

_July 5__th__, 2015_

_As expected, things wouldn't be all lilacs and roses when arriving at Radley. I got a few visits by the snake. What he had to say when he visited me today, however, were despicable._

_He had promises of reuniting me with my daughter. Getting her back, even. It was too cruel of a trick. I knew what he was trying to do. He would string me along somehow, get me to do the things I never wanted to do otherwise. _

_Still, I couldn't resist. I saw the photos of the little girl. She looked like me at the age of three. Except she was better. She was cuter. She had blue in her eyes. She was more beautiful. She was a corrected version of me. I knew I had given her the right name right then and there. Dianna means beautiful, and she was probably the most gorgeous sight I had ever seen. _

_I hated Wren for showing me what I could never have again. But suddenly, his offer sounded so enticing. Get Dianna back? Have the daughter which I'll otherwise never get the chance to have? It was too good to be true. If I couldn't have another child which was biologically mine, why not get back the daughter who was?_

_It's too evil. But aren't we all a little evil, sometimes? She was my daughter._

_On the other hand, I signed away the right to be called a mother when I signed away Dianna. She was no longer related to me in any other way except her blood. _

Dianna slammed the book closed, not wanting to read any more. She needed to find whoever "Wren" was, and she needed to find this Radley place and figure out where exactly Spencer went. To do that, she turned to her best possible source. Hanna was the only person who knew where Spencer was all those years. She had to know something.

* * *

Analeigh tapped her foot impatiently. She was on the train to the spot in Philadelphia where Dianna first lived. It was somewhere in the projects. Her heart raced in fear, hoping nothing would happen to her. Suddenly, she realized who the man she was sitting across from was. He was following her for most of the day. She just knew his face was familiar, but couldn't quite place why.

"Have you been following me?" she snapped.

He looked taken aback. But since he hated liars, he wasn't about to lie to her. "Yes."

"Why? What's so important about me?" she asked.

"You don't remember who I am?"

Analeigh's face turned white as she remembered who he was. The train pulled into a stop. She got up and exited hastily. He followed her once again. He was hot on her tail as she power-walked down the street to find her destination. Finally, she stopped and spoke, still not facing him. She was about a block away from her destination. "What do you want from me?" she inquired softly.

"I want to help you. What happened?"

She shook her head. She was still turned away from him. "I don't need your help. I'm fine," she insisted.

Toby shook his head. "No. I've heard one other person say that before. It was your mother, and a month or two later, she was getting blackout drunk every night and waking up with a hangover every day. She practically ruined herself. I'm not letting this go."

Analeigh let these words sink in. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and open up to him…her father…but she just couldn't. "Maybe you should. You let her go," she whispered. She lingered for a moment longer before continuing her hasty walk towards the remains of a building.

Toby stood, frozen. As much as he wanted to refuse her statement, she was right. He abandoned Spencer at her lowest point. He didn't help her get back on her feet. He left her to die. Then, he chased after Analeigh.

Analeigh compared the picture on her phone to the scene in front of her. The surroundings were the same, but an obvious thing was missing—the building in the center of it all. There was a large vacancy between two apartment buildings where another one was supposed to be. Analeigh knew that this was the one which burned down. The one that Dianna was able to escape forthcoming death in.

Things stopped at that very moment. Analeigh realized how very lucky she was right then and there to have a sister. There was absolutely nothing in front of her; all signs that a building once stood where she was were gone. For all she knew, she was standing on ashes and bones of people. She held her breath, and felt tears form on the sides of her eyes. She let out a small sob.

Suddenly, she felt very strong arms around her and she completely broke down. "My sister was in that fire; it's like _I _was in that fire," she sobbed.

Toby touched her smooth brown (and now pink) hair. He tried so hard to picture the ordeal which Dianna must have lived through.

* * *

_"Dianna! Come on!" Lo chirped. She then gasped when she saw what was unfolding before her. Dianna was also frozen. A fire was raging in the apartment the two girls shared with their three foster siblings and foster parents. Dianna watched in fear as Lo ran towards one of the rooms. Flames were licking the wall and likely about to consume her. _

_"Lo, no!" she shouted, pulling the young six-year old away from the fire._

_She fought Dianna's grip. "Dianna, we have to! Artie is in there! Arthur!" she called._

_There was no answer on the other side of the door. "Arthur!" she beckoned again._

_"Lo, he's probably already dead. If not, he's consumed by the fire!" Dianna informed her. _

_Reluctantly, Lo backed away from the door, Dianna pulling her urgently. Holden came out of a nook. They were both taken aback to see the door go up in flames. _

_"We have to go!" Holden shouted. He ushered the girls to the only open, safe room in the entire apartment. They were on the top floor of their four story building. Holden, being only nine and still the oldest, began to walk down the fire escape. However, the girls had to catch him as it collapsed beneath him. He fumbled to regain his footing. They looked behind, to see the fire advancing to the doorway of the room. Quickly, Dianna reacted. She jumped, not feeling anything. She wasn't scared—she had been told that fear is what breaks peoples' bones. It wasn't the weight, or the force. Fear was the thing that kept people from living. _

_She sighed a little sigh of relief as she felt her feet hit the ground. Holden and Lo both looked apprehensively down at her. "Don't be scared," she advised. _

_Lo jumped out of the building, happy when she landed on her feet and felt Dianna hug her. Holden was last to come down. He hurt his ankle, but Dianna remembered him being unscathed otherwise. _

_Dianna backed away from the building, and gasped in horror when she saw that the fire had advanced to the room, eating away their belongings. The three realized that they had nothing left now except for the clothes that were on their backs. _

_Well, Dianna had a few other things, but she kept them buried away. _

_However, now was not time to rehash her past. She needed to find a police station, and quick. They were three children, all aged under ten, and there was no way they could get by on their own. When they were walking was when Dianna realized that everybody else who was in that building was now surely dead. Julia was gone. Arthur was gone. Nick was gone. Mr. and Mrs. Finch were long gone._

_Lo kept tugging at Dianna's sleeve. "What's going to happen now?"_

_Dianna shook her head and shrugged. She had no idea what to tell the young, innocent, naïve, and sweet Lo. Lo was resilient and would surely bounce back. At the same time, Dianna was unsure whether she could be as forgiving with life. Dianna kept telling herself to not look back. _

_But she did. _

* * *

Dianna woke up with the same uncomfortable, choking, suffocating feeling. _PTSD, Di. That's all it is…just shake it off. _

She looked around. She was on the bus. She wasn't sure which section of town she was in, but it was already dark. She figured that she slept through the entire day.

"Miss?" the bus driver said.

"Oh, my God. I'm sorry," she said, shaking herself awake.

"It's fine. Can't say this is the first time this has happened," the bus driver admitted. "But I do have to let you know that this is the last stop."

Dianna looked around, not knowing where the hell she was. _Am I even in Rosewood anymore? _"Where are we?"

"This is Elmhurst. We're right on the outskirts of Rosewood," the bus driver answered.

Dianna nodded. "Thank you." She left the last five dollar bill she had in the tips jar. "Thank you very much," she added.

Dianna jumped off the bus with her duffel bag. _Now if only I can find that apartment building before dark, _she said to herself.

She walked on the side of the road. She was stopped by a faintly familiar voice.

"Do you need a ride?"

* * *

Spencer panted heavily as she ran into her apartment; no, more like _broke _into her own apartment. She quickly grabbed a bag from under her bed, shoving in all the clothes she could gather.

_Did they follow me here?_

Spencer closed all of the windows in her room, and then shut the blinds. Walking into her bathroom, she—in a single sweeping motion—cleared her counter into her bag. She didn't even bother to see if anything had spilt. She just knew that she had to get out of there.

_Is it even safe here?_

Spencer's mind went a thousand miles a minute. She decided to abandon her thoughts altogether. She collapsed on the hard tile flooring of the bathroom.

_Of course not. They're still out there. Dianna and Analeigh are still out there. And Toby…_

Her heart sunk as she thought of how much danger her loved ones may be in.

* * *

_So, leave me a question in the reviews, and I will do my best to answer it. And, as always, tell me how the chapter was. This was one of my favorites to write so far, so I really hope you enjoyed it._

_And, in case none of you realized it, Dianna's foster siblings' names all come from great (and sometimes controversial) works in American literature. _

_Lo- Dolores "Lo"/"Lolita" Haze from __**Lolita**_

_Holden- Holden Caulfield from __**Catcher in the Rye**_

_Julia- Julia from __**1984**_

_Arthur- Arthur "Boo" Radley from __**To Kill a Mockingbird**_

_Nick- Nicholas "Nick" Carraway from __**The Great Gatsby**__._

_Another fun fact is that all of those books have been referenced in one way or another during the run of PLL. Then again, I'm a nerd and I didn't expect you to realize that. :) __**-Kayson**_


	22. Chapter 22

_**Author's Note: **__For those of you who have checked out my new story "Begin Again", thank you so much, ILYSM! Ha ha, I will likely upload chapter one very soon. Now back to "Forget Me Not". Here's some Q&A:_

**_Q: Does Dianna have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?_**

_A: Succeeding the years of abuse and the fire, yes, she does indeed have PTSD._

**_Q: Wasn't the fire [in the last chapter] before Dianna was in the foster home?_**

_A: I'm glad I can clear this up. There were actually two fires. One occurred when Dianna was three years old. That one happened when she was with the Appleby's (her adoptive parents). The next fire was when she was in her first foster home, and she was eight years old. That was the fire which Dianna has PTSD from (since she can't remember the one that happened when she was three). _

**_Q: Who was talking to Dianna after she got off the bus?_**

_A: I promise, my loves, that will be answered in this chapter ;)_

_As for the rest of the questions, I say I cannot-I'll repeat it, in boldface, caps, and underline-__**CANNOT ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS!**__Just be patient, and I assure you your question will be answered, and if you feel it was not sufficiently answered by the end of the story, I will explain further :)_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Analeigh sat silently in a bathrobe as she waited for Toby to re-enter the motel room. Her hair was back to its natural shade, thanks to some color zap.

Toby returned not a minute later. "Why did you run away?"

Analeigh shrugged. "I wanted to know what happened to Dianna," she stated blandly.

Toby sighed. "You shouldn't run away. I'm sure your father was—"

"What? Worried? Concerned? Were you?" Analeigh asked.

Both were frozen as what Analeigh just said sunk in. She just acknowledged him as her father. "Yes, you. _You're _my father. As much as he may treasure me as his little girl, my adoptive father was never that concerned. And here you are. After meeting you once you care where I am. Where's my 'father' right now? Not here," she said.

He smiled, shaking his head. "You're so much like your mother, you know?"

"Sarcastic?"

"Exactly like her in that way," he added.

She looked down at the floor. "I hate that I don't know what that actually means," she whispered.

"It means that you're a wonderful, smart person, Analeigh," Toby promised her.

She smiled. Then, she frowned. "She didn't seem so wonderful when she basically told me I was a mistake…"

Toby looked at his saddened daughter, and instantly thought of Spencer. She was a spitting image of her. "If you're a mistake, you're the best mistake ever made," he promised her.

Analeigh smiled again, and this time, it stuck.

* * *

"I really shouldn't be riding in the car with a stranger," Dianna said as her eyes were glued to the road.

The man beside her laughed. "But we're not strangers, Dianna."

She flinched at the use of her name. _How does he know?_

"You were my waitress. At the diner," he explained, prodding her memory.

She nodded, remembering his time at the diner. "Right."

They travelled in silence as Dianna checked the time every few seconds. She regretted accepting this man's offer. It was growing dark and the wind was getting chill. She could feel the tension thickening as they travelled farther and farther away from civilization, it seemed. "I don't think this is where we're supposed to be headed…" she trailed of.

He smirked, and then locked the doors. "I know."

Dianna sunk lower into her seat, not knowing what to do.

The man stopped at a dark overlook, way off the road. He reached into the back of his car. There was a bag of medication and an IV. Dianna looked at it in horror, unsure of what may be in that bag.

"Relax. This is something that'll take away your pain."

Ironically, she winced in pain as he stuck the needle in her arm. He obviously knew what he was doing, or at least it seemed completely natural to Dianna.

* * *

Miles away, Analeigh froze at that very moment. Toby looked back at his daughter.

"What's wrong?"

Analeigh stood frozen for a minute longer. She began shaking her head. "Something is wrong. Something is really wrong," she repeated over and over.

He looked at her, in a pure and utter panic. "What's wrong, Analeigh?" he inquired urgently.

"I don't know. But I can feel it. I read about this once. Something called twin-sense where identical twins can sense pain when the other is in trouble. And I think something is really wrong with Dianna," she told him.

* * *

Mere moments after the IV drip got into her veins, Dianna began to feel a constricting feeling in her chest. Then, there was a lot of pain.

"What is that?" she muttered, feeling her lungs swell, not breathing properly.

"It's a painkiller," he said.

She tried shaking her head, but instead began forcing air down her lungs. It was getting continuously harder as the minutes were passing.

"I think you need to go to the hospital," he commented with a sly smile. She looked at him in fear. She was wondering what was going on.

The car began moving again. Dianna tried to slow her breathing, only taking breaths when necessary, but found it increasingly harder to stay conscious. Before long, she was fast asleep.

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open to see several people standing in front of her. But directly in front of her was Analeigh. Analeigh looked at her with sparkling brown and blue eyes.

"You're awake!" she exclaimed, hugging Dianna. Dianna hugged her back impassively.

Upon a second glance, she saw several people in front of her, including…Analeigh, Toby, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer.

She shook her head, shaking any thoughts of hers out of her head. "What am I doing here? What happened?"

Emily shrugged. "We don't know. Someone brought you to the ER with respiratory problems, and you were unconscious. By the time we got here, they were long gone."

Hanna butted in. "Do you remember what happened?"

Dianna thought for a moment. She answered, "I remember trying to get to Hanna's to talk to her about…something. Then, I remember a man offering me a ride, and I know I knew him from somewhere, so I said yes. He injected me with something. He must have been the one to bring me to the hospital."

Spencer was taken aback.

"Do you know what it was?" Toby asked in complete shock.

"He said it was a painkiller, but I don't know if he was being sardonic or serious."

Spencer turned to Toby. They immediately thought the same thing. Spencer turned back to Dianna.

"Are you allergic to morphine?" Spencer inquired.

Dianna shrugged. "I don't know."

They both turned to Analeigh.

"I am," she answered. "When I was seven and I broke my arm, they couldn't give me any morphine at the hospital. They said it might make my throat close up and cause me to break out in hives," she added.

"Which means I must be, too," Dianna commented.

There was a pause. Suddenly, Emily and Hanna felt some kind of energy shift in the room.

"Well…I think Em and I better leave," Hanna insisted.

Emily nodded in agreement. "Hanna is right. You guys should get some time alone," Emily elaborated before she dragged Hanna out of the room and closed the door behind them.

The four family members stood in silence before the discussion continued.

"I didn't even know an allergy to morphine existed," Dianna commented.

"It's a rare occurrence, but probably one of the most lethal medication allergies," Spencer informed her.

Toby ignored Spencer and knelt down to Dianna. "Are you okay?"

Dianna shrugged. "I think so. I just remember feeling like I couldn't breathe when the guy injected me with the medicine," she explained.

Analeigh looked at her carbon copy. She then looked from Toby to Spencer. She finally turned to Spencer. "Can I talk to you?"

Spencer gave her a confused look. "Right now, Analeigh?" she asked.

"It's kind of important."

Spencer sighed and walked outside with Analeigh. Analeigh wasted no time beating around the bush. "I think I know who gave Dianna that morphine," she announced.

"Go on," Spencer said.

"I think it was Doctor Kingston. The same doctor who treated me when I was in the hospital."

_The files, _Spencer thought. _Of course. _

"When I was treated here, I saw him in the middle of the night with someone in the hospital office. I don't know what they were doing, but Aunt Melissa thinks he might have been stealing medication from the hospital—medication like morphine—and erasing his footprints," Analeigh suggested.

Spencer froze. _Melissa? _"You met Melissa?"

She nodded. "And she has the files about Dianna. She wants to file a lawsuit."

Spencer shook her head. "I need to speak to your father—I mean, Toby," she said.

"You can acknowledge that he's my father. He does. He is. Even if you refuse to acknowledge that I'm your daughter," Analeigh stated coldly.

Before Spencer could reply, Analeigh went back into the room. She sat next to Dianna, who was sitting upright. Analeigh motioned towards Spencer, a sign that Toby should speak to her.

"Can I talk to you?" Spencer asked him.

He looked to Dianna, then Spencer, then Analeigh, and then Spencer again. Finally, he answered, "Sure."

Spencer and Toby both walked outside. Spencer looked up and down the corridor of the hospital. "Analeigh thinks it was Wren who did it. Wren may have given Dianna the morphine," she clarified.

Toby was incredulous. "How do you even know this, Spencer? How does she even know who Wren is?"

Spencer sighed. "Wren was her doctor when she got in that car accident. She saw Wren in the hospital office, tampering with something. And Melissa spoke to Analeigh. She connected the dots for her. Wren is the only man who it makes sense for. Dianna doesn't know him. He has full access to the medications in this hospital," she explained.

Toby simmered. "It's your fault, Spencer!"

"Are you kidding me? How is this all my fault?!" she exclaimed.

"How else would Wren be able to know Dianna's our daughter?" he asked.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "People talk, Toby. It wouldn't be so hard. Especially considering he _does _have access to medical records. Dianna was born in this hospital. Her birth certificate has to be on record here. He would know." She sighed. "He's been keeping a close eye on the four of us lately…" she trailed off.

"What?"

Spencer mentally slapped herself for saying anything in the first place about that. _Sometimes you're such an idiot…_she told herself. "He took home all four of our medical records for his nightly reading," she informed him. Once the words were out of her mouth, she felt them lingering in the air.

"How do you even know that?" Spencer looked down at the floor. "Are you seeing him?"

She looked into his eyes…his hypnotizing blue eyes. _I can't lie. _"What was I supposed to do? Hanna and Emily told me you were engaged." She paused for a moment. "As stupid as it sounds, I never loved anyone other than you."

There was a pregnant pause. Analeigh opened the door. She looked at both Toby and Spencer. "Dianna wants coffee. Does anyone want to come with me?" she asked.

Spencer nodded. "I will." She looked at Analeigh, and then turned back to Toby. "I guess she got that coffee habit from me," she joked.

* * *

Dianna slumped back into her seat. Analeigh, Toby, and Spencer had all gone an hour or two ago. She had been brought unconscious to the hospital, and the doctors determined that someone had knocked her out and wanted to keep her overnight to assure there was no concussion.

"Miss Cavanaugh?"

Dianna flinched when she saw who was at the doorway. It was the same guy who gave her the morphine. She leaned as far away from him as she possibly could without falling off the hospital bed.

"W-what do you w-want?" she stuttered.

He looked at her as if nothing were wrong. "I just wanted to let you know that there's been signs of a concussion. But, luckily, it's a minor one. You probably didn't lose consciousness because of the concussion, but from the lack of oxygen," he said.

Dianna gulped and nodded, hoping he would leave.

"Do you need anything, Miss Cavanaugh?"

She shook her head violently. Wren looked at her strangely and left the room. Dianna breathed a sigh of relief.

Spencer woke up. Hanna was nodding her head, speaking to someone. Spencer did a double take. _No…it couldn't be. _

"Tell me more about Paris. Were there any cute guys? How was the fashion? And did you master the art of French kissing?" Hanna asked excitedly.

Spencer looked at the figure again. _My eyes are playing tricks on me._

"Spencer!" the girl piped up. Spencer looked at her. She looked nearly the same.

"Aria?"

* * *

_The shorty-McShortShort is back! PM me or review your thoughts! __**-Kayson**_


	23. Chapter 23

_**Author's Note: **__Hey, guys. This is chapter twenty three. I hope you like it._

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

"Aria? What are you doing back here?" Spencer asked, reciprocating Aria's tiny hug.

"I decided I was tired of dealing with Euros and I'm done dealing with the accents. I was starting to get one," she said. "Give me another hug. Didn't you hear that midgets give the best hugs?" she joked.

Spencer laughed. Hanna patted the seat next to Spencer, where a cup of coffee was waiting for her. "I caught Aria up to speed on everything. She's staying here. Permanently," Hanna added.

Aria smiled. "I'm so happy to be back here in Rosewood. It's been so long. And I can't wait to see that store that you own, Hanna," she said.

Hanna smiled. "Maybe you can approve of the Aria Collection?" she asked. "Emily was easy. You, however? You're a chore. But Spencer is the worst. It's so hard to find of anything that looks cute that she likes that's _not covered in plaid!_"

Spencer looked at Hanna. "I thought you said certain things are cute, Han!"

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Cute on a seventeen year old schoolgirl. Example? With those Hastings legs, Analeigh would look so cute in a plaid skirt. You? You'll look like you're going through a mid-life crisis. You're thirty-five, Spence," she reminded Spencer.

Spencer backed down sheepishly. It was clear she was not winning this battle.

"So…do you guys want to go to Lunch? I know Hanna doesn't eat breakfast, and it's nearly twelve now, anyway," Aria said.

Spencer looked at the clock. "Oh my God! It's so late!" she shouted.

"Got a hot date, Spence?" Aria teased.

Hanna shook her head. "Like anyone ever gets a date around here. Spencer hasn't gone on one in, like, three years, and guys avoid me like the black plague! This girl is not as young as she used to be," Hanna said.

"I have to meet someone at noon," Spencer said vaguely. Before either Aria or Hanna could respond, Spencer went into her bedroom.

* * *

Analeigh knocked on Hanna's door with Dianna by her side. It took Hanna a minute to open the door, but she answered.

"Hey, guys. Are you looking for Spencer? She just left," Hanna explained.

Dianna shook her head.

"We were looking for you," Analeigh elaborated.

Confused, Hanna said, "Well, come in."

They saw Aria and Emily sitting there. _It's her, again! _Dianna thought. _…But the hair still isn't right. _

Aria didn't seem to recognize Dianna, so Dianna just left the subject alone.

"Aria, this is Dianna and Analeigh," Hanna introduced them. "I think Emily and I told you guys about Aria," she said.

Aria looked as though she had an epiphany at the moment. "Dianna and Analeigh," she repeated.

Hanna remembered the horrible way which Aria reacted when Spencer announced she was pregnant.

* * *

_"Spence? We got your SOS," Emily announced as she walked into Spencer's kitchen/living room. It was clear Spencer had been crying by her tear-stained face. She looked at the girls with pleading eyes._

_"I'm pregnant," she announced before letting out a wail._

_Instantly, Emily and Hanna gave Spencer a huge hug. Aria hung back. She stood there, mouth agape, as she attempted to process the information._

_"Toby's the father?" Hanna inquired._

_Spencer looked at her. "Of course, it's Toby's. Who else's would it be?" she questioned._

_Hanna backed away sheepishly, instantly feeling stupid. Spencer felt sorry. _

_"I'm sorry, Han. I just don't know what I'm going to do. How am I going to tell my parents?" There was a pregnant pause. "How am I supposed to tell Toby?" she asked._

_"Are you going to keep the baby?" Emily asked._

_Spencer shrugged. "I don't know. I don't want to end up a single parent. I don't want to be that girl who got pregnant at eighteen, but…oh, well," she said cynically. _

_"Spencer, we're always going to be here for you," Hanna said._

_Emily was staring at Aria, almost begging her to say something comforting to Spencer. She had been silent this entire time. "Aria," she urged quietly._

_"What? What am I supposed to say? 'Congratulations on getting pregnant'?" Aria demanded._

_Spencer broke into another fit of sobs. Hanna held her while Emily glared at Aria. "What are you doing?" she asked._

_"I'm not going to lie. Spencer, this is probably the biggest mistake you'll ever make."_

_Hanna looked at Aria, her blue eyes blazing. "What the hell, Aria? Spencer is already hurting. Since when did you start sipping some of Melissa's cuckoo juice?" she inquired._

_Aria rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to pretend this is something it's not. Toby has a job that barely provides for him. Spencer is used to pink champagne and pearls and cashmere. There's no way she's getting that with both a baby at eighteen and Toby," she shouted._

_Finally, a shaky Spencer spoke. "I think you should go," she suggested. _

_Aria took a last look at the girls. She turned and left the house. Emily went in to hug the still shaking Spencer. _

* * *

Aria still looked at the girls lovingly. "Wow. You girls are so beautiful," she commented.

Analeigh smiled radiantly while Dianna gave a half-smile, still unsure about this entire situation. She was sure this girl was the same one in the diner, but her hair was different, yet again.

"So what did you want to ask me about?" Hanna inquired.

Analeigh nudged Dianna, who didn't speak. She then said, "It was Dianna's question. Dianna?"

Dianna took out Spencer's diary. She flipped to the page she was looking for and gave it to Hanna. Hanna looked at it. "What is this?" she asked.

"Spencer's diary. I was hoping you could tell me where this place is," Dianna said, pointing in the book with her bare fingernail.

Hanna looked. _Radley. _"Why do you want to know about Radley?"

"Then, can _you _tell me what was going on with Spencer before? And what is Radley?"

Aria piped into their conversation. "Radley is the mental hospital on the outskirts of Rosewood. I didn't know Spencer went there?"

Hanna sighed. "For, like, four months when she attacked Mona," Hanna explained.

"Who's Mona?" Analeigh inquired.

Aria rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "A girl Hanna used to hang out with. She was like the bitch to end all bitches," Aria stated coldly.

Hanna cleared her throat, still uncomfortable talking about Mona in such a way. She turned to Dianna. "What else does that diary say?" she asked.

Dianna shuffled through the diary. "Um…there's like four months of entries there, and then…" she skipped several pages, looking for the next entry, post-Radley. "…She went to California."

"What happened when she was in California?" Aria inquired curiously.

Hanna grabbed the diary without so much as an 'excuse me'. "Spencer and I fell out of touch for two or three years while she was in California. I was in New York and both of us were pretty busy." She gasped as she read something.

"What is it?" Aria asked worriedly.

Hanna bit her lip. "Spencer got around quite a bit back in the day."

Dianna and Analeigh both winced at the thought.

* * *

Spencer was looking through the several pictures that she had of Dianna and Analeigh when they were younger. She planned on telling Toby everything as soon as he arrived. There was an all-too familiar pang in her chest which she got every time she thought of him. It still hurt, thinking of him.

He looked into Dianna's eyes and saw only the beautiful blue, hypnotizing flecks. She smiled at the thought of a young and curious version of herself.

"So…you're Spencer."

Spencer looked up. Poised and perfect was a beautiful brunette with emerald green eyes. She sat down across from Spencer. Her eyes were fixed in an icy glare.

"I'm sorry; who are you?" Spencer asked as nicely as she possibly could.

Her glare was unwavering. "I'm Nicole. I'm also Toby's fiancé, and the one who texted you about meeting here. Let's cut the crap," she snapped fiercely.

Spencer couldn't help but be taken aback by this girl's own ferocity. She reminded her of Spencer Hastings.

"I know that you had a thing with Toby. But the key word is you _had _something with him. I think you're mistaking his kindness for flirtation. He's mine," she said sharply.

"I'm not trying to—"

"We are getting married in two months. I will be damned if some whore screw everything up."

Spencer flinched.

Nicole scoffed. "I know about you, Spencer. I know how you cheated on Toby."

She was beyond confused. "I never cheated on him," she claimed.

"It doesn't matter. I'm a big believer in fate. If you two were meant for each other, surely you would've been back together by now." She straightened herself up with confidence. "And I know for a fact that he won't leave me now."

Spencer slouched in self-consciousness. She knew that Nicole had to be right. And if Toby loved her…she was probably a good person (though she clearly wasn't showing that now).

"I know. I'm not trying to win him back," Spencer clarified.

"Then what are you doing here again?"

Wasn't that the question on everyone's mind.

* * *

_Spencer sat, shuffling a deck of cards. A familiar scene unfolded in front of her. Mona, dressed smartly, walked up to her. _

_"Hello, Spencer," she greeted kindly._

_Spencer closed her eyes, wishing her away. "Mona…you've already ruined my life. You've ruined everything for me. What more do you want?"_

_Mona shook her head. "I'm not here to hurt you. I wanted to warn you."_

_Mona sat cautiously next to Spencer. "You're dealing with a master chameleon. Someone who can shape shift into whomever you're going to trust. But I can promise you—Wren can't be trusted."_

_Spencer looked at her. "Why?"_

_Mona laughed. "I think you know the reason that you're here. You wanting Dianna back? It all went horribly wrong. And Wren is to blame." She handed Spencer a newspaper article, which Spencer looked at. Her heart broke. "I'm sorry about Dianna. You have to know I had nothing to do with this."_

_Spencer put the article down quietly. "There has to be some ulterior motive for you," she mumbled. _

_"I don't want him to get away with this. I know what it's like to come from a broken family," she admitted. _

_Spencer had not previously known this, especially from the lavish things Mona always had. _

_As if breaking into her thoughts, Mona said, "My father left when I was about four or five and my mother got remarried. He never came back. I always wondered what it was like for him. Even though I resent him, I feel bad, because wherever he is in this world, he's missing a piece of him." It was poetic. Spencer found it suspect._

_"You're smart, Mona. Lulling me into a fake sense of security and trust? That's good."_

_Mona shook her head somberly. "Believe what you want, Spencer. You can't trust Wren. He's up to no good." _

* * *

Spencer sobbed as she reminisced. That memory was clear as day. She slithered down to the corner, where she felt she belonged and should stay in forever.

"It's all my fault!" Spencer sobbed. Hot tears coated her face. Before long, she worked up the strength to crawl into the bathroom, which was not too far away. She kneeled to look into the top drawer and pulled out an orange bottle.

She opened the bottle and looked at its contents. It was half-full of bright blue pills. Spencer's anti-depressants. There was a danger associated with these pills. Spencer emptied the bottle onto the floor. She counted out all of the pills carefully and slowly. _13_. That had to be enough, right?

The phone began to ring while Spencer contemplated her next move. She knew very well that she couldn't dry-swallow pills, much less the horse pills she had in front of her. She wondered if taking them with alcohol would speed the damage to her liver.

She stared at the blue pills with tears rolling silently down her cheeks for another thirty minutes. Then, she looked at a picture of Dianna and Analeigh once more.

Those pills began looking much more appealing. She touched one. It was so smooth. She picked it up, placing it in the palm of her hand.

"Spencer, don't!" called a voice from behind her.

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapters. __**-Kayson**_


	24. Chapter 24

_**Author's Note: **__Enthuse me, kind readers! I am going through such a tough time right now, I can tell you the only bright spot in my day was to find my story had reached 8K views! Please leave a review! I am very excited to reach that 100 review mark!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Emily pried the pill from her tightly clenched fist. Spencer jerked away from Emily when Emily managed to pull the pill from her hand. She then placed the pills back into the bottle and put it away.

She stared at Spencer for a moment before speaking. "You know, you can tell me anything, Spencer."

She was greeted with silence. Emily sighed and tried again. "What's wrong, Spence?"

Again, she was answered with an eerie muteness. "I'm not leaving this room until you tell me why you tried to kill yourself," she said sternly.

Spencer looked at the ground. "Who said I was trying to kill myself?" Spencer asked sheepishly.

Emily gave her a glare. "Don't give me that, Spencer. Nobody empties a bottle of pills for no reason at all. You don't expect me to believe that you were 'just counting' the pills you had left." She gave Spencer a more concerned look. "I'm really worried. Have you been skipping those anti-depressants?"

Spencer was quiet for a moment. "Yes." The disappointment in herself was present in Spencer's voice.

Emily was nothing if not understanding. "You can tell me anything, Spence," she repeated.

There was an ominous pause about the room. Spencer's breath hitched as she prepared to speak. "There's something that I haven't actually told anyone…"

Emily looked at her with concerned eyes. "I need to."

There was a beat of silence. "Or I'm afraid it may be too late to repair the relationship between my family."

* * *

Analeigh knocked on the heavy wooden door and gave her sister an apprehensive look. There was no answer for what felt like the longest time, but in actuality, was probably only about thirty seconds.

A thin brunette with brown eyes answered the door. Dianna thought that she looked like Spencer.

"Analeigh!" the brunette answered, the surprise evident in her voice. Her eyes roved over Dianna, and she soon made a comment. "You must be Dianna. You're very beautiful."

Dianna had no idea how to respond. Analeigh, reading her sister's thoughts, jumped in. "Dianna, this is our Aunt Melissa. She's Spencer's sister."

Dianna nodded. _Of course, she is. How many people are connected to my mother? _"It's nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand.

Instead, Melissa opted to hug Dianna. When she released her, she opened the door wider, as to invite them in. "Come in, please."

Analeigh wasted no time making herself welcome, whereas Dianna was more hesitant. The door opened to reveal a beautiful and extravagant foyer. Melissa led them to the kitchen, complete with its granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The dining room was right across the island from the kitchen. Attached to the kitchen/dining room was the living room, which looked fancy, but not entirely comfortable. Though beautiful, the house gave off a generally harsh aura.

Melissa pulled out three coffee cups and placed them on the dining room table. She also took the coffee pot, which, coincidentally, just finished brewing. She placed the cups, along with napkins, spoons, sugar, milk, and half-and-half on the table. While she settled for the milk herself, Analeigh and Dianna identically placed a spoonful of sugar in the coffee, along with the exact amount of half-and-half. Melissa found it just the slightest bit awkward to be around, but instead of commenting on it, cleared her throat.

"So, what brings you here today?" she asked.

Dianna and Analeigh both exchanged a look. Analeigh went into her bag and fished out the diary of Spencer's. She opened the old book to a dog-eared page. Her shiny, ice-blue nail pointed to a spot on the page, showing it to Melissa. "Can you tell us why Spencer was in a mental hospital?"

Melissa gulped, seeming to remember all which she was feeling when her sister was taken. "I don't remember exactly what happened to her. I remember she was very…depressed. And she was unstable. Though, I can't really blame her; she went through a lot for a twenty-one year old. More than I think anyone should ever have to go through," Melissa said ambiguously.

Dianna grew anxious. "Did she ever try to…" she trailed off, searching for a euphemism, but could only come up with one thing. "…kill herself?"

Melissa shrugged. "I don't think she did, but if she had tried, she wouldn't have told me. We were never extremely close. I tried to help her in whichever way I could, but there's only so much you can do for a person who isn't willing to let you in," she explained.

Dianna took a deep breath. She didn't entirely buy that Spencer was better now; she still seemed jumpy and prone to mood swings. Dianna grew concerned.

"Do you know what happened to her after the mental hospital?"

Melissa shook her head. "Like I said, we weren't close; she didn't tell me a lot. I know she went to California. I really don't know what happened after that. Obviously, she went to college in California. I think our parents paid for her trip there, but after that—they cut each other off. I know Spencer doesn't speak with our parents. I don't blame her for that, either." Melissa looked at her hands. "I've cut them off since you two were born. They're controlling and manipulative," she warned.

Dianna and Analeigh nodded.

Melissa sighed and tried to articulate her exact thoughts. Finally, she just came out with it. "Have you asked your father? Your mother's friends?"

Analeigh cleared her throat. "I'm pretty sure none of them want anything to do with us. Our dad is getting married soon. And her friends seem to be growing tired of us."

Melissa shook her head. "I'm sure that's not true," she insisted.

"Oh, it probably is," Dianna agreed.

Melissa was relentless. "Your father is one hundred percent faithful. There's no way he would abandon you two when you need it the most."

Dianna shrugged. "He's starting a new family," she stated.

There was dead, painful silence in the room. There was another sigh, this time from Analeigh.

"Can you please just tell us about Spencer? Spencer in LA?"

Oh, Analeigh. How she had acquired her mother's ability in being straight-forward. Melissa smiled at the thought of a younger Analeigh, basically Spencer in miniature.

"Listen, girls. I want to help you. But I really don't know anything," she insisted.

Feeling like she had just completed a marathon in vain, Analeigh's head drooped to the floor. Her eyes fixated themselves upon the floorboards.

* * *

"You WHAT?!" Emily exclaimed in the restaurant, making its other patrons stare in contempt.

Spencer shushed her, looking around worriedly at how many people were staring now.

"What did you expect, Spencer? You just dropped a major bomb on me. You had Dianna _kidnapped!_" Emily responded harshly.

Spencer shook her head violently. "I didn't want that to happen! I was promised so much, Emily. I wanted Dianna back. I wanted them both back, but…I knew where Dianna was. Melissa knew that Analeigh was okay in Rosewood. I _needed _to know Dianna was okay!" she exclaimed quietly.

Emily shook her head incredulously.

"Nobody was supposed to get hurt in that fire. Wren told me it was a ploy; a set-up so he could get Dianna back for me…but he never did," she said as her eyes wandered off.

"You trusted Wren to keep his word? Spencer! This is Wren we're talking about. Did you really expect him to stick to his promises?"

Spencer shrugged hopelessly. "I was desperate, Emily. I needed someone. Toby was gone. I needed a piece of him. I needed Dianna there with me," she explained.

Emily looked at her pleading friend. "Go on," was all she could muster.

"Wren approached me at Radley. He promised me he could get Dianna back for me. He informed me about the plan with a fire but…I didn't want to go through with it. Then again, I was too scared to take her in broad daylight. This seemed like the only option.

"But things went so wrong. Wren came to me and told me that my little girl was lost; he made me believe she was dead. So that was when I hired a PI. I didn't believe him. I hired the PI and told me she was still alive. But for some reason, I just didn't believe him. Maybe I thought that her being dead was an easier alternative to what was shown to me.

"So when she came back…I was so excited, Emily. I just wanted everything to be perfect, but I guess I should've seen how hard it would all be. And with Toby in the picture? He just reminded me about how everything is always my fault. I'm the reason that Dianna was hurt so badly. Not only was she given away _because of me_, but she was put into the foster care system _because of me!_" she exclaimed. "It all happened after Toby left. I wanted for her to bring him back to me. I wanted for the three of us to be the perfect little family."

Emily tried to empathize with Spencer. But somehow, she couldn't. "You need to get over this, Spencer. What you did was horrible and could have cost three people their lives." She looked at Spencer once more. "But somehow, I'm sure that those deaths weren't an accident."

Spencer looked at her incredulously. "What are you accusing me of?"

"I'm not accusing you, Spence." Emily looked around to make sure that nobody who knew them was within earshot. "I'm accusing a different cold-hearted snake."

* * *

Dianna fished around the leafy giant next to Spencer and Hanna's apartment for the key. When she found it, she opened the door, surprised to see a petite brunette standing at the counter in the kitchen. She turned around and saw Dianna. It was Aria.

"Hey. Are you looking for Spencer? She went out with Emily. And Hanna is probably on a shopping spree. I'm waiting for her to come back," Aria explained.

Dianna shook her head numbly and lifted the book in her hand in her defense. "I'm just…returning this to Spencer," she explained.

Aria's eyes lit up. "Oh! You're reading _The Great Gatsby_? I love that book!" she exclaimed.

Dianna flinched and tried not to show her obvious discomfort.

Finally, she needed to address the elephant in the room. "Do you not remember me?" she asked brusquely.

Aria paused for a mere moment. The fire in her eyes extinguished. She nodded. "I remember you. And I don't want you to get freaked out. I acted like I didn't know you the other day because I wasn't sure whether or not you remembered me." She looked at the book, then at Dianna. "It's a great read, isn't it?"

Dianna nodded, a whisper of a smile going across her face. "F. Scott Fitzgerald was amazing. And I think that Jay Gatsby was an…interesting character," she smiled.

Aria smiled in agreement. "I'm glad someone shares my views on it," she added.'

"I don't know who wouldn't," Dianna grinned.

* * *

_Don't forget about that review box! Don't leave it hanging! __**-Kayson**_


	25. Chapter 25

_**Author's Note: **__Whoa, it just decided to change fonts. Anyway, I've been dealing with a lot of bull at school. I am looking forward to your words of encouragement. If you guys have a question, please either PM me or go to my ask. I feel like you guys are my friends. Let's break this weird barrier of author/reader and let's just be friends. My Ask username is CassieClifford (not my real name). Even if you don't have an ask, you can ask me a question. And if you do have one, I will be glad to ask you lovely readers questions as well. Note: if you go to my ask, don't really be surprised if you see some hate. For some reason, which I cannot imagine, people at my school don't like me (that was sarcasm). So, if you ever need someone to rant to, I am here, my lovely friends. PM me, I will be glad to respond. I just feel like after twenty-five chapters, we've moved past this phase of just me being your go-to girl when you're looking for a quick read. I will also happily be your go-to girl when the going gets rough. I've seen a lot in fourteen years, and anything you may want to share will never leave my lips (and even if it did...nobody knows who you are. What harm could it possibly do?)_

_Anyway, in this chapter, Analeigh is absent (I am warning you in advance). You also get to see some Toby drama, and this chapter kind of leads into the next one, which I am in the midst of writing. I am going to take a shot in the dark and guess that chapter 26 will be up by about Friday or Saturday, but I'm not making any promises (since I don't like making promises I can't keep)._

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Toby touched the bloody scratch on his arm. He winced as he put hydrogen peroxide on the gash.

"Toby!" Emily called from his living room. She walked in on him in the bathroom and saw the giant gash. "Oh my God! What happened to you?" she inquired worriedly.

Toby scoffed. "Nicole happened."

Emily didn't look surprised. She looked anxious. "What did she do this time?" she asked.

Toby sighed. "She knew that I went to find a girl named Analeigh. So of course, she thought I was—"

"—cheating," Emily finished for him.

"Yeah."

"Toby. Can't you see that you deserve so much more than her? You need someone who is going to respect you and _trust _you," Emily explained sadly.

"Don't go there again, Emily," he said sharply. "I know that you and Hanna and everybody else want me to get back together with Spencer."

"What if it works?" she inquired.

"What if it doesn't?" he fired back.

"Isn't love taking that risk? Love is putting yourself on the line to the point where you know you might get hurt. Love is not caring about pretenses and the past; it's only thinking about the future. And I know _for a fact _that you loved Spencer," Emily claimed.

"So what if I did? That's in the past. It's done and has been for fourteen years," Toby insisted.

Emily shook her head. "It's not over. I know that you still love her. I can see the pain in your eyes when you look at her or think of her, Toby. And I know she feels the same about you."

Those words lingered in the air as Emily closed the bathroom door.

* * *

"I've always wanted to go to Paris! Tell me about it!" Dianna exclaimed as Aria picked up a strawberry.

"Well, the Eiffel Tower is gorgeous at night. The clothes are to die for, and the food is amazing," Aria explained.

Hanna walked into the room to find Dianna and Aria talking. She rubbed her sleepy blue eyes and yawned in drowsiness. "What are you guys doing here?" She sleepily poured herself a cup of coffee and pulled out the half-and-half. "It's way too early," she added.

"You texted me and told me to be here at eleven," Aria informed her.

"Oh, shit. It's eleven already?"

Dianna and Aria nodded, and Hanna glanced over at the clock. Sure enough, the time was 11:07. Hanna shrugged and drank her coffee.

"So what were you girls planning today?" Hanna asked as she raised her _Work with me, people_ cup up to her lips.

Dianna looked at her expectantly. "_You're_ the one who called us here," she reminded Hanna.

"Oh…right." Hanna touched the cup gingerly with her fingers after setting it down. "I knew that."

Aria rolled her eyes. "No, you didn't, Han."

Spencer looked like she just rolled out of bed as she walked out of her own bedroom.

"Hey, Spence," Aria greeted her eagerly. Spencer mumbled something incomprehensible in response.

She sat down next to Aria and Hanna passed her a coffee cup. Spencer drank it black. It didn't faze her at all.

"What? You're not going to add in some liquor for an extra kick?" Aria asked innocently.

Spencer was too groggy to respond, but Hanna shot Aria a death glare. Aria backed off, not wanting to question it.

"What? You didn't invite Analeigh over?" Spencer asked.

Hanna opened her mouth to speak, but Dianna cut her off. "She's not in town. She went with her friend to New York for the long weekend."

Spencer nodded. _Of course, she is. _

"So…what do you want to do today? I have cuticles that are in serious need of some TLC. And then I need to catch up on some reading in something that _isn't in French,_" Aria informed them.

Hanna made a face. "You had me going until you said 'reading'," she winced.

"I'll come with you. Mostly for the reading, though. I finished 'The Catcher in the Rye' yesterday and now I'm really bored," Spencer said.

"I could use something to read after 'To Kill a Mockingbird'…" Dianna agreed.

Hanna scoffed, "When did I get stuck with a bunch of book worms? I need Analeigh here. Like, now."

* * *

Toby came into the living room, where Emily seemed to be waiting for him with a steaming cup of coffee. He sat down wordlessly.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Emily asked as Toby raised the cup to his lips.

He took a sip before answering. "What is there to talk about, Em? She got jealous and lashed out," he answered.

Emily sighed. "You're unhappy. As your best friend, I can't stand to see you unhappy. I want nothing but joy for you. You're one of the best people that I know and you deserve it."

"I know you want to see me with Spencer, but the past is the past. I've moved on. And despite your protests, I'm sure she has, too," he answered.

"But she hasn't!"

Toby cut her off right there. "Emily, I'm engaged. I don't want to be rekindling things from the past. I want to get married and have children."

"What about those you already have?" she asked cleverly.

He paused. How can he just forget about Analeigh and Dianna? They were as much his children as his possible future children would be. "Analeigh and Dianna are great, but they don't have a place for me now. They're practically adults. They don't need me and Spencer anymore," he insisted.

"Please just tell me that you're open to communicating with them."

Toby nodded.

Emily looked at the floor for a moment. She faced Toby again. "Have you told Nicole yet? About Spencer, Dianna, and Analeigh?"

"We got into a big fight the other day—"

"Separate from the one yesterday?" she interrupted.

Toby nodded again.

He continued: "—and this time it was about Spencer. She was furious. I had told her about Spencer when we met, but she didn't think that Spencer would ever come back. But now that she has, I guess Nicole just thinks that Spencer is—"

"Competition?" Emily offered.

"I guess you could say that. But she got pissed off. And I know that you're going to say that it's because we don't work together; I'm really tired of hearing it, Emily. I'm tired of hearing this from you, from my family, and nearly everyone else that I encounter. I love you, but I also love Nicole," Toby announced.

Emily bit her lips out of nerves. "Doesn't that tell you something if it's all of us who hate her?" Emily murmured.

It was the last straw. "I think you should leave, Emily," he informed her.

Numbly, Emily got up and obeyed his wishes. She bitterly slammed the door closed.

Toby jumped at the loud noise.

* * *

Dianna looked down at her newly painted baby blue nails. They were cute. But something just felt fake about this moment. She looked back at her mother and Hanna laughing at something as the Vietnamese women painting their nails glared at them, then turned to the other to curse at them in Vietnamese.

Dianna smiled at the thought of having a bond with her birth mother, which she seemed to be forging. If Alison had told her that this would have happened two months ago, she would have laughed in her face.

"Where to next?" Aria's voice asked from behind Dianna.

Dianna jumped, startled, and turned to face the brunette.

"Sorry for scaring you. Sometimes people completely look over me and they just get scared when I talk," Aria added.

Dianna laughed. "I wouldn't know. I have tall genes," she said.

"Lucky you! Your mother is five-seven and your father is about a foot taller than me," she quipped.

Dianna laughed again. "Like I said—tall genes."

Aria changed the subject. "So, what great classic are you planning to read next?" she inquired.

Dianna considered the question for a minute. "I don't know. I was thinking about getting the book Lolita. I'm not sure why…even though I lived through the abuse, I find it pretty intriguing what goes through the mind of the attacker," she admitted. "But I haven't been able to find it anywhere. It's not sold in a lot of book stores because of the content. In a lot of countries, it's banned," she added.

Aria nodded. "I see. Lucky for you, Spencer and I know this great little hole-in-the-wall book store. I passed it yesterday, and I am well aware that their specialty is classics and banned books. That store was the only way that I was able to read 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'. My mother wouldn't let me read it because it had the n-word," Aria informed her.

"It sounds great. If we can get Hanna in there…"

"Oh, don't worry about Hanna. There's also this hole-in-the-wall jewelry store right in between the book store and this coffee shop. That block used to be one of my favorite places in Rosewood. Espresso, emeralds, and Ernest Hemmingway within a single block; what could be better?"

Dianna nodded in agreement. She looked over her shoulder at Hanna and Spencer, who were both staring intently at their nails. Hanna was probably bitching to the woman painting her nails, who was rolling her eyes and likely murmuring Vietnamese curses.

"Let's get them and go," Aria suggested.

* * *

"Whoa. You'd better slow down, Pretty Eyes. You're going to wake up with a wicked hangover in the morning," the bartender informed Toby as she took the shot glass away from him.

"Rough day?" she asked.

Toby looked up at the woman. She had reddish-blond hair. Even in his incoherent state, he found her eyes quite interesting—one was a dull gray while the other was a brilliant green.

"How did you know?" Toby slurred.

The bartender smiled. "I've seen a lot of people at this bar. Seldom anyone ever comes in the middle of the week unless they're an alcoholic or they've had a rough day. I've been working here for over a year, and I think I would've recognized you as a drunk if I had seen you on the weekdays multiple times," she explained. "Want to tell me about it? I'm all ears. And I won't tell a soul," she promised.

Toby shut his eyes for a moment, thinking about it. "Sure."

Before he could continue speaking, the woman slid out from behind the counter. She took her keys out of her pocket. "And I make it sort of a policy of mine that I drive the drunk people home when it's around my quitting time," she added.

Toby nodded, too jumbled to really answer.

* * *

The woman watched as Toby stirred sugar into his coffee. She had flagged down the waitress to get him a glass of milk. She claimed the milk would dull the effects of alcohol; Toby was sure it was just an old wives' tale.

She waited expectantly for Toby to drink the milk. "Come on," she said finally.

He grimaced at drinking the milk, but followed direction. She smiled. "Okay, now that we've crossed that bridge over troubled water, maybe you can tell me more about why you were getting drunk in a run-down, old bar on a Monday night. Come on, Pretty Eyes. You can't expect me to believe it was the Monday night special. It's a rip off."

Toby thought for a moment. His head was throbbing, but he could create a complete thought, so he figured he was at least kind of sober.

He sighed finally. "Where do I begin?"

* * *

_So, don't forget about that PM or ask question. Ask me anything! __**-Kayson**_


	26. Chapter 26

**_Author's Note: _**_So sorry about the wait! But don't worry- school is over for me in about eleven days left of school, and then I am a slave to this story. Sadly, there is only about eleven chapters and an epilogue left to go, but I am so proud of where I've gone, and I'm so glad that I've made you guys so excited for updates and so glad to read this story._

_As a disclaimer, in this chapter, a little subplot is kind of introduced, and this chapter is a little more filler, but I think many of you will be pleased by some of the events which occur in this chapter. _

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

"Go on," the woman said, waiting expectantly.

Toby paused for another moment. "I had this girlfriend back in high school. Her name was Spencer. We were both young and clueless. Before long, she got pregnant. I was nineteen; she was eighteen. It was twin girls. I was in love with her and she decided it would be better for the girls if they were given up for adoption. I loved Spencer, and I couldn't argue with that. So I agreed.

"I still loved Spencer after that, but something changed. That New Year's she woke up with a hangover and she woke up with a hangover every single day for over two years. I told her I couldn't be in the relationship anymore. I heard that she went to rehab from her friends, but I didn't speak to her for fourteen years.

"Until now," Toby explained. "Because about two months ago, one of our daughters found me. She just showed up one day, out of the blue. And when you love someone so much and you're looking at them for the first time in forever…how can you just turn them away?" Toby asked. "When I looked in her eyes…I saw brown. Dianna was perfect. She was like a silken rose or a garden in the spring. She was like…her mother," Toby reminisced.

The waitress nodded. "It sounds like you're still in love with the mother of your children. What's holding you back? Your fiancé?" she asked.

Toby looked at her with amusement and confusion in his eyes. "How did you know?"

The woman lifted his left hand to show up, referring to his ring finger, which had a silver band around it. "I can spot a man with a wedding band a mile away."

Toby looked down at the brown liquid which so closely resembled the color of Spencer's eyes. "Yes, it's my fiancé," he admitted.

"Do you love your fiancé?" she asked.

Toby shrugged, not making eye contact in shame. "I thought I did, but lately, she's been verbally abusive and the other day she actually broke skin," he added.

The waitress made a face. "That sounds harsh. So why are you still with her?" she inquired.

"I guess I felt like I needed someone after Spencer, but…" he trailed off, considering it as well. "…I don't want to be pretending anymore. And I don't think I love Nicole."

"Your fiancé?"

Toby nodded.

The waitress sighed. "I think my job here is done," she announced.

Toby looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I've gotten you to admit to me what you were too scared to admit to yourself. You're in love with Spencer. Now you have to deal with the scary part and tell her how you feel," she advised him. "You already have kids, so you have one thing in your favor."

Toby nodded. He smiled, seeing how things were better than they appeared to be at first glance.

The waitress began to get up and leave. Toby looked up at her, deeply puzzled. "Where are you going?"

The waitress smiled at him. "As much as I'd love to stay, Pretty Eyes, I have an early shift tomorrow, and I'm already behind on my sleep."

She grabbed her jacket as Toby contemplated something more to say. "What's your name?" he asked innocently.

She smiled at him. "It's Ava."

Toby saw something sparkle in her eyes. He recalled giving Dianna the middle name Ava.

Something new occurred in his mind. "Will you bring me home?" he asked quietly.

She looked at him. Convinced he might not be completely sober, she took him by the hand and led him back to his apartment.

* * *

_Aww, Boo Radley! He's such a sweetheart…I wonder how anyone could ever mistake him for a cold-blooded killer, _thought the brunette as she looked through the pages of the yellowing 50th Anniversary Edition of _To Kill a Mockingbird. He's the second cutest thing I ever saw. Well, third. Right after penguins…and that three day old teacup poodle. Okay, maybe fourth, because you can't forget about that baby hedgehog…and I've never actually seen Boo Radley…_

Her brown eyes twinkled as she shifted pages in the book. A small figured woman looked at the girl from afar.

Slowly, the woman approached the girl cautiously.

"It's a great read, isn't it?"

The girl looked up, then looked directly beside her. The woman speaking was quite petite, like her.

_Whoa…since when is someone as short as me?_

"My favorite character is Boo Radley…" she commented quietly.

The woman nodded. "I identify with him. He's such an outcast but so misunderstood…what about you?"

The girl looked into the woman's brilliant hazel eyes. There was something very pure and innocent in them, which she couldn't quite identify. "I've been through a lot. And I guess I identify with him since he's also…crazy."

The woman shook her head insistently. "Not crazy. Just different." She traced her finger along the edges of the old books. "We're different."

The girl was surprised. "We? You are, too?"

The woman looked at her for a minute, before answering, "I'm so good at beginnings, but in the end, I always seem to destroy everything, including myself." She picked up a book and handed it to the girl. "It's a good read for people like us. It's very…therapeutic."

The girl nodded and took it. "Who are you?" she asked suddenly.

The woman looked down at her feet and then up at the girl standing in front of her, who was waiting patiently for an answer. "Mona. I'm Mona," she repeated.

The girl smiled. "I'm Selena."

* * *

Dianna listened to Analeigh moving hangers frantically.

"What are you doing?" she asked finally.

Analeigh shushed her loudly. Dianna rolled her eyes. Analeigh sighed in dissatisfaction and actually walked into her massive amount of clothes. Dianna found a black sweatshirt being thrown at her.

"Analeigh!" she shouted.

Analeigh re-emerged from the masses with a black sweatshirt covering her blouse.

"What is this?" Dianna asked.

Analeigh looked under her boxes of shoes and dug out a flashlight, then another.

"What are we doing?" she asked again.

"We are going to figure out what's up with Aria," Analeigh answered.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing makes sense without her in this equation. We all know that the sketchy doctor was not alone. We know that Melissa was involved, but not for that long. She helped set the fire and was gone afterwards. Someone else had to have helped them. I think it's Aria. She's been gone for years and just when she shows up is when all this crap happens? That's too coincidental," Analeigh explained.

Dianna shook her head. "Why would she do that to Spencer? And why would she do that to us? She barely even knew us? And while you were gone, I learned that she's actually really nice, so you should just back off," she snapped.

Analeigh rolled her eyes. "Fine. Don't come. Just remember that the last person you trusted almost had you killed," Analeigh reminded Dianna.

"How long are you going to hold that over my head? He offered a ride. How was I supposed to know that he would stab a needle into my arm?"

"How are you supposed to know whether or not she'll be sharpening a knife behind your back, Dianna?"

Dianna was quiet and steaming silently as she thought of a comeback. "That's a pretty bold thing for you to say."

Analeigh sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm going to stop whoever is hurting us if it kills me. When I got hit by that car, it wasn't an accident, and we all know it wasn't Melissa or Wren who did it. She was in Philadelphia, and he was working rounds at the hospital," she said. "I think it was Aria and one way or another, I'm finding out who's hurting us. I'm finding who's hurting our _family._"

"Who are you kidding, Analeigh? This is not a family, and if it is, it is the most broken family that I've ever seen. It's worse than any of the ones I've been involved in," Dianna said sharply.

"That's because all the ones you saw weren't real families. Sure, you lived with them. But a_ family, _by definition, is a group of people who love each other. People who love and would do anything to help the members of their family. They stick together, no matter what. Even though Toby and Spencer are estranged and Toby is getting married, we're all they have sometimes. We're their children. Weren't you the one who said that we were conceived out of love?" Analeigh asked.

"I'm pretty sure that was you," Dianna answered.

Analeigh shrugged. "You, me, who cares? We're identical twins! What comes out of my mouth is something that's running through your brain and vice-versa. The point is that we owe them this because we're a family. You don't get to choose your family, but either way, you're going to love them," she added.

Dianna shook her head. "Why would Aria do this to Spencer? They were best friends."

Analeigh shrugged again. "Maybe she was jealous. Maybe she wanted us gone. Hanna even said that out of all of Spencer's friends, Aria reacted the worst when Spencer announced she was pregnant."

The sentence hung in the air around the two.

* * *

Selena touched the pages of the book with her fingers. Mona, across from her, looked at her fingernails, loathing the chip in her coral nails.

"When did you find out?" Mona asked finally.

Selena looked up at Mona. She reminisced. "I think it was the summer between middle school and high school. I started realizing that the voices and the people I had made up in my head weren't going away. I know that most little kids make up that imaginary friend, but when you still have a little voice talking to you and you're fourteen…something's wrong. That summer, my parents sent me to see a psychiatrist, and she diagnosed me with paranoid-type schizophrenia. It's residual, which means that when I take my medication, I can seem like a girl without schizophrenia, but without it…you're insane again," Selena explained.

Mona nodded. "When I was sixteen, I had this friend. Her name was Hanna. Anyway, she had a separate group of friends who she grew to spend more time with than me, and I lost it. I guess jealousy motivated my crime. In hindsight, I can barely believe I got away with it, but for months, as an anonymous person, I stalked her and her friends. I threatened them. It was horrible. By the end of my junior year, they basically had me in a strait-jacket. It was so hard coming back to school afterwards. It took so long to convince everyone that I was better, but I was. It's so sad how people can't believe that other people can change."

Selena nodded.

* * *

Aria and Spencer sat on Spencer's couch, watching _The Notebook _for the thousandth time. Aria grabbed a handful of popcorn while Spencer drank some soda.

"I really missed this, Spence. Nothing was the same without you," Aria said.

Spencer nodded in agreement, but her eyes didn't leave the TV screen.

Aria stared at her for a moment more, but Spencer's eyes didn't move. Finally, Aria grabbed the TV remote and placed the television on mute. She turned to Spencer, who finally made eye contact with her.

"Spencer, I need to get something off my chest because it's been bothering me. The way I left you years ago…it was wrong. I'm sorry that I got so down on you for being pregnant. I should have supported you. We were Team Sparia. You were my best friend. For seventeen years, I've been living with that burden on my shoulders. It's like a pain I can't get rid of. And I'm sorry," Aria apologized.

Spencer looked at her for a moment. "I believe you. And I forgive you."

Aria breathed a sigh of relief. "Really? Because I just want you to know how much I love you and miss you."

They hugged each other. Spencer felt as though something may finally be going right for her. Her tiny partner in crime was back, and the memory which had haunted Spencer for so long was starting to fade into oblivion.

* * *

_So what do you think? #TeamSparia? #TobyLovesSpencer? #Spoby4Ever? #Analeigh? What was your favorite part? Personally, my favorite parts to write in this chapter were Toby admitting he loves Spence and Selena and Mona's connection. And subconsciously, I think I wrote bits of this chapter for you, reneexotyler15 :) __**-Kayson**_


	27. Chapter 27

**_Author's Note: _**_I'm so sorry about the delay on this chapter. But fret not, because here is another chapter. I would like to tell you guys that this is the penultimate chapter of Part 2. There are also only ten chapters and an epilogue after this :(_

_Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

_Damn it, these finicky little bastards. _

Analeigh tossed a broken, cheap bobby pin aside.

_God dammit, work, you stupid thing! How is it that you only work when I'm too lazy to get out the spare key, but when I actually need you, you don't work?!_

Analeigh blew away a stray piece of hair. She dug under the welcome mat in front of Aria's apartment and produced a key. She smiled and placed it into the lock. With satisfaction, she opened the door to the apartment, which she found surprisingly minimalistic.

Unimpressed by the living room's décor, she moved into the bedroom, but again finding nothing. Frustrated, Analeigh shuffled through the papers scattered around Aria's desk. Inside the desk, she found something quite interesting.

Hidden inside a copy of _Great Expectations_ was Aria Montgomery's passport. _Damn her; her passport picture is actually pretty. _

Analeigh took greater interest in the stamps which Aria had acquired. Upon further inspection, Analeigh realized it was not her newest passport, and it had expired six years ago, when Aria was twenty-eight. Still, it was a lot more than the six Aria claimed to acquire (three to France and three back to the States). Analeigh found some from Paris to London to Barcelona and then to places from Bora Bora to Cancun. However, Analeigh found the ones most damning to be the ones she had gotten around the time that the fire was started at Dianna's house. There were several to the United States and back to France during that period, which Analeigh found to be more than suspicious.

Quickly, Analeigh put it in her back pocket, continuing her search.

Then, the next pejorative thing popped up. Printed out were articles upon articles on Dianna's disappearance. It was a pretty odd thing to have a hold of. Unless, of course, you were the one who helped kidnap her.

Analeigh took these as well. That was when she heard the doorknob begin to turn. Panicking, she looked for her best escape route. She spotted the sliding doors at the other end of the living room and made a run for it. Right as Aria was opening the door, she closed the sliding door and hid behind where the curtains fell inside. Aria didn't notice her at all and Analeigh sighed in relief as the bedroom door closed. Quickly, she snuck out of the apartment and replaced Aria's spare key.

_That was close. Too close. _

Taking a deep breath, Analeigh walked away with the papers in her hand. There was no way she was letting this go unnoticed by Spencer and Dianna. She wasn't about to have someone else die. Not on her watch.

* * *

"Selena! Want to come shopping with us?" Jamie asked Selena.

"Thanks, guys, but I have to meet with someone at the coffee shop. Maybe next week?" she inquired hopefully.

She watched as her friends walked away. She turned and went the other way, towards The Brew. She didn't realize that someone was instinctively following her.

The bell jingled as Selena walked inside. She walked up to the counter and placed her order, which she was quickly given.

Selena spotted Mona and went to sit down with her. Little did she know that Spencer had followed her. She was shocked and a little scared about what she saw.

_What does Mona want with poor Selena? _she thought.

Selena, however, was glad to see someone who knew exactly what she had gone through. She touched the coffee cup and looked up at Mona. Mona was staring at her with passionate hazel eyes. "I was thinking a lot about what you said. You said something the other day about us not being crazy, just different. And then I thought about how someone like you, so wise and smart, could be stuck in a town like this," she said.

Mona laughed in response to that. "I guess after all that I've done, I haven't really been able to reinvent myself. Or, at least, I haven't thought of it very much. I don't even know what I would be, or who I would become. In high school, I did such a good job at becoming what everyone wanted me to be, and now…I decided that I would never do that to myself again."

Selena shook her head. "You don't need to be what anyone else wants you to be. You just have to be who you want to be. That's the most important thing," she informed Mona.

Mona smiled. Suddenly, her phone began to ring. "Excuse me," she said as she read the caller I.D. Mona slipped out of the booth and walked over to the door. Spencer studied Selena, who was sitting, waiting for Mona to return. Spencer finally gathered the courage to walk up to Selena.

"Ms. Hastings? Hey," she greeted, confused. "Do you want to sit down?" she asked awkwardly.

Spencer sat down quickly, looking over at Mona, who had walked over near the window and was looking out. "You need to be careful of her, Selena. She's a very dangerous person. She—"

"—stalked you and your friends in high school? Almost killed a lot of people? She already told me. But I believe she's changed. She's never done a thing to me, and what would this world be if people refused to give a person a chance?"

"Please, Selena. Just be careful. I know you're a sensitive, good person, and Mona can be a snake," Spencer warned.

"I'll be fine, Ms. Hastings," she insisted.

Sheepishly, Spencer walked away. Mona caught a glimpse of her just leaving the shop. "Hey, Spencer. Long time, no see," she greeted cheerily.

Spencer looked at Mona with rage in her eyes. "What are you going to her? What do you want with Selena?"

Mona looked at Selena briefly, then back to Spencer. Her eyes became glazed over, as if she was growing tired. "I don't know what you mean."

"You deserve an Oscar, Mona. You know that, right? If you're doing this to hurt her or my daughter…" Spencer began. "I'll kill you."

Mona shook her head. "I've been trying to help you, Spencer. But my patience is starting to wear very thin. And I haven't mentioned Analeigh to Selena at all."

Spencer thought of her first sentence. "Help me? How have you helped me? You made my life a living hell for two years and you're doing it again."

"What?"

"You're doing it again. For all I know, you're the one who hit Analeigh _and _you were following me weeks ago. You have a history of stalking."

Mona sighed. "I'm going to ask you a question, Spencer, and then you're going to answer. Did I or did I not warn you about Wren?"

Spencer remembered Mona showing up at Radley. "Yes," she answered sheepishly.

"Did he or did he not stick a needle in Dianna's arm, causing her to go into anaphylactic shock?" Mona inquired.

"I don't know. Maybe. _Maybe_ you're right, Mona."

Mona narrowed her beautiful hazel eyes. "I'm going to say this and I'm going to say it once _only. _Someone who is close to you is playing you and they're hurting you," she warned.

Spencer scoffed. "Even if that were true, Mona, who would it be?"

"If I told you, you would never believe me," Mona replied.

Wordlessly, Mona returned to where Selena was sitting. Spencer thought about what Mona had said. But which of her friends would betray her?

* * *

Analeigh knocked urgently on the big, heavy door to her sister's apartment. Dianna answered the door, a toothbrush in her mouth.

"What?" she asked, annoyed.

Analeigh invited herself in. "Don't look so happy to see me, sis. Nice place. Though, it's kind of bare. Not very welcoming," she commented.

Dianna rolled her eyes. She went back into the bathroom, re-emerging without the toothbrush. "What do you want?"

"I wanted you to know that I was right about Aria. She was involved in it all."

Dianna rolled her eyes again. "Analeigh, Aria isn't involved in any of this. Run that through your head. She wouldn't do anything to hurt Spencer. And why would she want to hurt us? She barely knows us!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe she was jealous. That's the #7 motive for murder."

"Why would she be jealous?"

"She was losing Spencer. They were planning to go to Europe _together _for college, but now that we showed up? Spencer got taken away from her. Even though she gave us away, she needed to be comforted by Toby. Maybe Aria was jealous of him, too," Analeigh suggested.

"This is all ridiculous, Analeigh," Dianna concluded.

"Fine, don't believe me. But stay away from Aria. She's bad news, okay? You're my sister, and I really don't want you to get hurt. You're too pretty. And you look too much like me," Analeigh said before leaving the apartment.

Dianna was left confused, and most of all, annoyed.

* * *

Hanna got up reluctantly to get the popcorn out of the microwave. She stared at the woman who was sitting on her couch. She barely took her eyes off of the girl as she poured the popcorn into the bowl and put on their favorite seasoning: pizza. Slowly, almost as if she was scared, she approached the woman with the popcorn and handed the bowl to her cautiously.

"Spencer won't be home for a while. She usually goes to dinner with some friends from work on Fridays," Hanna informed the woman.

"Thanks for inviting me over, Han. I've just had a lot to tell you," Mona told her.

Hanna looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

Mona sighed. "It's about advice. You were always a lot wiser when it came to people," she told Hanna.

"What is it?" Hanna repeated.

"It's more of an abstract question. I know a woman who is friends with another woman. But the second woman is plotting against the first. I've tried numerous times to inform this woman that her friend is conspiring against her, but she won't listen. What do I do?"

Hanna looked at Mona and laughed. "That question is about as abstract as a brick wall, Mona. Who are you talking about?"

Mona looked around, as if to assure that nobody was looking. "It's about Spencer."

Hanna grew worried. "Who's the friend?"

"Aria."

Hanna studied Mona, as to see if she were lying.

The scariest thing was that she wasn't lying.

* * *

_I'm sooo sorry if you hate me for this chapter, Sparia shippers! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! Next chapter, something BIG happens that I think you will enjoy. Forgive me, maybe? __**-Kayson**_


	28. Chapter 28

_**Author's Note:**__ Hola mis amigos lindos! I know that a lot of you are still recovering from that shock I recently gave you guys, but I think you'll be pleased with me after this chapter. If not, I don't know who you are, because I'm pretty sure you guys have been begging for this since the very beginning._

_I'd also like to share with you my friend Julien's theory, and know I am mentioning this for a reason. So he's a drama freak like I am, and he's noticed that a lot of times in a play or musical, if the ending of the first act is "angsty" (as I made up that word) or ends on a bad note, the ending is probably going to be happy. If it's all cheery and everything, well, you're screwed. The next act is not going to be pretty. Case in point: last year we did Once on this Island, and at the end of the first act, the main character is all happy and smiley and crap. SPOILER ALERT, she dies at the end of the play. Whoopdie-doo. And for the (draining, long) play we did this year, Seussical, the last act ends with an elephant stuck in a tree, a bird whose tail is so big she can't fly, and a speck on a speck on a speck of a clover which is actually a planet in turmoil. Don't ask me how any of it makes sense, because it's Dr. Seuss and he's the only person who's allowed to write anything like that without being accused of being high (though the writers of this musical?...questionable). _

_And yes, there's a reason I just told you that. Think about it. Think about it again. There's a subliminal message, in case you couldn't figure that out. :)_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

There was a knock at the door. It was followed by another knock. Toby went to go get it. He was surprised to see Analeigh.

"Can I come in?" she asked quietly.

Wordlessly, he invited her inside. She sighed, glad to see that at least _someone _wasn't pushing her out the door. Toby was concerned about her. She wasn't her usual bubbly self.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

She nodded. "Something is really wrong. It involves Dianna and Spencer and both of us." She awaited a reaction. When she didn't get one, she continued, "It's about that fire and how Dianna got into the foster system. I think I know who the person is that set the fire. The person who helped Wren and Melissa."

"Who is it?" Toby asked worriedly.

"It's…" she began, not sure how to break the news. "It's Aria."

"Aria?" Toby asked.

Analeigh nodded. She went in her bag and took out a manila folder. "I found these in her apartment. Look; she had articles about Dianna, her passports included stamps to and from the United States right around Dianna's disappearance, and we all know that she wasn't the biggest fan of Spencer's pregnancy."

Toby nodded. "I know, but they were supposed to be best friends."

"Love makes you do crazy things," Analeigh reminded him.

"Have you told your mother or Dianna?"

Analeigh nodded. "I told Dianna. She wouldn't listen. I haven't told Spencer yet, but I'm sure her reaction will be the same. I'm scared that they're going to get hurt," she said desperately.

Analeigh's brown eyes shone. Toby wasn't sure what to do.

"Well, we need to find some way to protect Spencer and Dianna, right?"

Analeigh smiled. "I knew I could count on you."

* * *

Hanna paced around the apartment nervously. She was biting her nails. Spencer didn't really pay any attention. At least, she didn't pay enough attention so she could realize something was wrong.

Spencer sifted through the mail. She passed one thing to Hanna. Looking up, she finally noticed Hanna's nervousness. "What's wrong, Hanna? Dreading that American Express card statement?" she asked as she passed Hanna another bill.

Hanna scoffed. "Spence, it's my Dress Barn and JCPenney credit statement that'll be through the roof." She finally willed herself to sit down across from Spencer. Across the counter, Spencer noticed Hanna's leg was still shaking.

"Okay, we have gone past the point of your plummeting credit score. What's really bothering you, Hanna?" Spencer inquired.

Hanna sighed. "Aria."

Spencer was confused. "You guys were Team Arianna in high school. What happened?"

Hanna shrugged before plucking a pear off of the top of the fruit heap in the fruit bowl. "I don't know. She just seems really changed since high school," she commented.

"People change. They grow. Even though I know Aria hasn't really grown height-wise, she's grown into a woman instead of being stuck as a teenager."

"But she hasn't grown. Something just changed about her. And it wasn't in a good way," Hanna informed Spencer.

Spencer put the pieces together. "When did you notice this?" she asked.

"What?"

"When did you come up with this conclusion?" she probed again.

Hanna was silent for a minute. She opened her mouth to speak, but didn't answer.

Spencer looked at her with inquisitive eyes. "Have you spoken to Mona lately?" she inquired.

Hanna looked at Spencer, her eyes telling all.

"Hanna, you're playing into her game!"

"Spencer—"

"No! Can't you see? She's doing to us what she didn't get the chance to do in high school. She's pitting us against each other to make sure things are never the way they were again. It's even tearing us apart, Hanna. After high school, Aria went to Europe and Emily was MIA. The two of us kept in contact. I spoke to Emily after I got out of Radley, but things were never the same. She stuck around Toby and it was too hard to be around her. I felt like you were my only real friend in all of this, but now this is going to pull us apart," Spencer concluded.

"Spencer, don't be ridiculous. Can't you see that everything that's happened to all of us recently happened right after Aria came back?" Hanna asked.

* * *

Spencer knocked on the door to Analeigh's house. Analeigh opened, looking at her mother in the eye. It was clear that her face was tear-stained.

"Come in," Analeigh insisted.

Spencer stepped inside the house. She was taken aback by how exquisite it was. It looked even fancier than her own childhood home.

Analeigh waited expectantly for an explanation. When she didn't get one, she said, "Why are you here?"

Spencer thought for a moment, trying exactly to remember _why she was here. _"Oh…I wanted to ask you a question. It's about Aria."

Analeigh bit her lip, not sure what to say. "She's working with Wren. She's the one who helped set fire to Dianna's house."

Spencer shook her head. She was much gentler with Analeigh than with Hanna. "No…no, it's not Aria. It has to be someone else. It can't be her."

"Spencer," began a voice from behind them both. Spencer turned around and the first thing she noticed was the blue eyes. "Please just listen and put your ego aside for a minute," Toby pleaded with her.

Spencer stared at his eyes and then looked back at Analeigh. Her own expressive, beautiful blue flecks were shining in her eyes. She turned back to Toby.

"Explain it to me," she said.

Analeigh slowly exited the room. "I think Toby would be a lot better at explaining this to you," she said.

Before Spencer had any time to protest, Analeigh walked up the stairs. Spencer avoided further eye contact with Toby for the moment being. She sat down cautiously on Analeigh's couch, right across from Toby. "What did you find out about her?"

"I just know what Analeigh told me. You know, she's a lot like you. She's really determined and persistent. And she's smart," Toby said before showing Spencer the folder that Analeigh had—it was full of all the impeaching mementos Aria had kept from when she did those things to them.

Spencer gasped when she looked inside. There was Aria, with ombred hair, and the stamps to and from the US around when the arson happened. There were all the articles that Aria had clipped about the arson in Dianna's home.

Immediately, she shut it. "This doesn't prove anything, Toby. I'm sorry, but just because she was in the United States around this time and because she saved articles on Dianna's disappearance doesn't mean she was the one who did it," Spencer concluded.

"Spencer, I think you're being—"

"I think you're being delusional, Toby," Spencer interrupted.

"I love you," he blurted out. Spencer opened her mouth to speak, and instead, Toby kissed her on the lips. Spencer kissed him back, missing the way that his lips felt against hers. Within a period of about two or three seconds, Spencer pulled away. She turned away from Toby.

"This wasn't how things were supposed to be," she murmured.

"Maybe not, but this is the way that things are, Spencer. And this is what happened with Aria."

Spencer shook her head insistently. "I won't believe it until she tells me herself."

"Spencer—"

"You should know better than anyone that things aren't the way they seem," she responded sharply, looking him in the eyes. "Things are lost in translation, things are confused. People who are disguised as enemies are sometimes friends in disguise, aren't they?" she inquired.

Spencer got up. She walked towards the door. "Tell Analeigh that I had to go," she said without looking back.

Toby watched her leave and sighed. Analeigh appeared at the top of the staircase and saw Toby and Toby alone. She walked down the stairs. "What happened? Where's Spencer?"

* * *

Emily watched Hanna as she spooned out ice cream into two bowls. She listened to Hanna's rant.

"Do you think I'm being ridiculous, Em? I mean, I know Aria is our friend, but hello. People we trusted were plotting against us for years. And it was something that Aria did a long time ago. It was fourteen years ago. Maybe she was sucked into a dark vortex, but I still think that she's hiding something. And maybe Mona is right."

"Wait, Mona?" Emily asked. "You spoke to Mona again?"

Hanna looked at Emily. "What was I supposed to do, Em? She left me a voicemail telling me that she wanted to meet, and when we were talking, she asked for advice on this abstract question which was about as abstract as a brick wall, which was when I figured out that she was talking about Aria, and you know how I told you that I can tell when she was lying, well, when she was talking, I asked if it was about Aria, and she said that it was and I was able to tell that she wasn't lying and it just scared the shit out of me, Em, and I—"

"Hanna! Slow down!" Emily exclaimed. Hanna took a deep breath. "Have you noticed that when you get nervous, you talk in really long run-on sentences?" she asked.

Hanna sighed. "What if Aria really did do it? I believe Mona. I don't know what reason she has to lie on all of this," Hanna concluded. She passed Emily a bowl.

Emily put some whipped cream on her ice cream. "Maybe now, we just need to hear from Aria. We've heard one side, now we need the other."

"But what if she won't even admit to it?" Hanna asked nervously.

"Then she doesn't admit to it. Who do you trust more in this situation: Mona or Aria?" Emily asked.

Hanna sighed. "That's the scariest thing, Em; I don't know."

* * *

I was waiting on Wren and Melissa. About fifteen minutes later, Wren showed up.

"Have you spoken to Melissa?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. And I'm not sure that she should even be involved in this. What if she tells someone?" he asked worriedly.

I shook my head. "We're not getting her involved in this. We just want to make sure that she doesn't talk." I looked at my nails. "I don't think that we should worry about that, though. She can't say anything that would bury us without incriminating herself in all of this," I assured him. "Wren, she would be an accessory to arson or whatever it is. Ask her the legal jargon or term for it."

"I still don't feel that good about making her talk about it. When Melissa gets uncomfortable, she squeals."

I scoffed. "We need to make sure that she's shut up, though. I just don't know how…"

At that moment, Melissa walked through the door. "What did you want today?"

"Just wanted to make sure that you're not going to tell anyone about this whole meeting and what happened," I told her.

"Will you leave me alone, then?" she asked desperately.

I exchanged a look with Wren. "We will if you don't tell anyone about any of this," Wren informed her.

"I despise the both of you. I won't tell anyone," she informed us.

"You're making the right choice, Melissa," I assured her. "I guarantee it."

* * *

_Do you guys still hate me for making Aria evil? I'm sorry :( but I felt as though it had to be done. Keep an eye out for Part Three, which should come out soon. And I'm sorry if it sucked, but I just realized today that I am falling under the influence of the dreaded writers' block. GAH, I hate it so much :P_

_So, if you have any suggestions, comments, whatever, you know what to do! Review, por favor, and please follow/favorite me or my story (if you feel like it). __**-Kayson**_

_And just in case you want to hear my friend's reasoning for why he felt so insignificant during the musical (it's kind of mind-boggling), I'll be happy to tell you in the author's note of the next chapter (it makes me feel pretty insignificant too...the only difference was that I could peck his brains out if I wanted to)._


	29. Chapter 29

_**Author's Note: **__Hello, readers! I'm finally back! After much thought, I decided what you guys needed was a good, Spoby-filled chapter. Now, though this chapter feels a little bit more slowly paced, I guarantee that it reveals a lot, especially on why Little Miss Montgomery might have wanted to do this to Spencer. _

_I'm going to reveal something that might make you a little excited (so I hope you read this chapter). I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but my chapters are typically about six pages long on Microsoft Word. Out of the six-and-a-half page chapter I just wrote for you guys, about five are just of Spencer and Toby (and a flashback between Spencer, Aria, and Toby)._

_On a side note, sorry, Dianna-lovers, but she does NOT appear in this chapter :(_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

"You look…just like Dianna," Hanna said, studying Analeigh once more.

Emily smiled in success. She and Hanna had recreated an outfit which Dianna would wear, Dianna's exact scar from the fire, and had put extensions on her so their hair would look the same. Hanna excitedly handed Analeigh a mirror so she could study her own likeliness to her sister.

Analeigh stared at herself for a moment. "It's still impossible for me to tell the difference between myself and Dianna," she replied.

"I don't think that Aria will pay much attention to that," Emily insisted.

Analeigh shrugged. "So what's the plan, again?"

"You, as Dianna, will ask Aria all about France and everything. And then you start telling her about the fire you were in when you were little. Aria is such an emotional person…if she hears about the hell you've been put through, she'll have to cave," Hanna informed Analeigh.

Analeigh nodded in acceptance, thinking over the plan. "That's a great idea. But there's only one problem. How do I describe an event that never happened?"

Hanna opened her mouth to speak when her phone beeped. She looked at it and scowled. "You're freaking kidding me, right? She's cancelling on us, last minute. Maybe she's onto us," Hanna said.

"Can I ask you guys a question? How exactly did you find out about who was torturing you in high school?" Analeigh questioned.

Emily thought about it for a moment. "If I remember correctly, it was your mother's plan. We sent them a text saying we wanted to meet them. It was more than one stalker, so we pretended to be another one. It was a simple plan, but it worked," Emily recalled.

"So why don't we do that? If it's Wren who's working with Aria, we could send a text message to Aria using Wren's phone. It's not complicated, and it might just work."

Emily and Hanna exchanged a knowing smile, not entirely sure if this plan would work, but willing to give it a try.

"So, who's going to sneak into the hospital?" Analeigh inquired.

* * *

Spencer knocked on a door. After waiting a moment with no response, she knocked again. As she was preparing to knock a third time, someone opened the door.

"Spencer?"

"I know you probably weren't expecting to see me, but if I'm going to believe you and Analeigh, I'm going to need to know both sides. And if Aria is doing this, which I don't think she is, I have a feeling it has more to do with you than me," Spencer informed him.

Toby sighed and invited her in. Spencer looked around. Even years ago, Spencer could recall him being a rather neat person. He wasn't into clutter, and his place was pretty minimalistic.

"Spencer?" he asked, snapping her out of her trance.

"Sorry, I just…I really need to know if anything ever transpired between you and Aria which would make her dislike you so much," Spencer asked again.

Toby sighed. "You should probably sit down, Spencer."

At that moment, Spencer's phone went off. _Don't forget to ask your baby daddy about his whole relationship with Wren and Melissa while you're at it. Did you miss me? I'm sure you did. I know I sure missed you. Kisses! –A_

Spencer gasped at the message. _No. No! This can't really be happening. Could it?_

"Spencer? You're drifting off, again," he advised her.

She nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. Can you please tell me what's the deal with you and Wren?" she inquired.

Toby was extremely confused. "I thought you came here to ask me about Aria."

"I know, but upon thinking about it, Wren's pretty pissed, too, and so is Melissa, so…can you tell me about them?" Spencer asked.

Cue more confusion. "I guess."

"Start with Wren," Spencer suggested.

"I think that's pretty self-explanatory, Spencer. We were both crazy about you," Toby answered.

She shrugged. "I know. But was there anything besides that?"

Toby thought for a moment. "Well…not really."

Spencer sighed. "Melissa?"

"Nothing that you don't already know. She hates me for the same reason that your mother and father hated me," he insisted.

Spencer scoffed. "That was what she liked the most about you; it made her a shoo-in for my parents' favorite daughter," she answered.

"It's Aria who had an actual problem with me."

Spencer tried to think of at least one time which Toby and Aria had an obvious dislike  
for one another, but could not come up with a single occasion. "Why did you never tell me while we were dating?" she inquired.

"I don't know. You were just such good friends with Aria. And I know the saying. I didn't want to make you feel like you were asked to choose between me and Aria."

_He is such a good guy. Oh, God…Spencer…_

"Toby, that's ridiculous. I wouldn't think that." Spencer realized that they were getting off topic. "Anyway, you were saying?"

Toby nodded. "Right. There was this one time that I remember distinctly."

* * *

_Spencer and Toby were sitting on the Hastings' couch. Spencer was about seven months pregnant, and she already felt ready to go into labor. _

_"Do you need anything, Spencer?" Toby asked, concerned._

_Spencer laughed. "This is about the tenth time you asked, Toby. I'm fine. If you ignore the fact that I've got like forty extra pounds on my bladder, I've never been better," Spencer smiled. _

_Her optimistic outlook also made him smile. Just as he leaned over and kissed her, Spencer realized that a tiny brunette was standing in the doorway between the coatroom and the kitchen. _

_"Aria!" she shouted, and Toby jumped. He turned and saw the tiny girl standing there with something in her hand. It was clear that Aria was uncomfortable after walking into the scene. _

_Spencer spotted the pink bag which Aria placed on the counter. Spencer got up, more energetic than she seemed to have ever been (even without the aid of caffeine). "You didn't have to get anything, Aria. I—"_

_"Need it. Trust me, Spencer, you do. And at least we don't have to worry about the girls looking like you."_

_Spencer rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Aria." Then, she saw Aria's (seemingly) sincere look of anticipation. "Thank you so much. I'm going to put this upstairs. And I have something to give you. Just wait down here," Spencer instructed her. _

_Aria nodded and both she and Toby watched as Spencer went up the stairs. Aria's warm hazel eyes turned into ice when she was sure that Spencer was gone. Aria glared at Toby. "You realize that you're ruining her life, right? She had so much planned. She was accepted into Cambridge. And now she's going to be stuck here, raising a baby with _you_, of all people," Aria said._

_Toby really had nothing to say to her. "Hanna is okay with it. So is Emily. Why are you so upset?" he asked._

_"They're not thinking ahead. They're thinking of cute little baby cribs and little dresses all with frills and a quaint little family. They're not thinking about what's going to happen when you eventually leave Spencer and she's stuck in this town, raising not only one, but two baby girls. You're either going to leave or she's going to be stuck in your tiny apartment, barefoot and pregnant. And then, she's going to leave. A woman like Spencer can't be caged, Toby. It's like taming a wild animal or trying to make a housewife out of a whore. It can't be done. You and Spencer are living in a fantasy world where it might actually work," Aria insisted. "The point is that if you really care about Spencer and those children of yours, you have to convince her to give them up for adoption."_

_Toby sighed. "You know Spencer just as much as I do. Maybe even more. You know that when Spencer makes up her mind about something, it's a lost cause trying to change it," he reminded her._

_Aria rolled her eyes. "For some reason, you're the only one who can change her mind. I wonder why that is."_

* * *

Even by simply hearing it, Spencer was incredulous. "No…you're lying. Aria wouldn't say that about me," she insisted.

"Why would I lie about something like that, Spencer?" Toby questioned.

Spencer still found it incredibly hard to believe this to be true. "But you didn't even try and talk me out of keeping them. I decided that on my own. I really did want to keep them," she whispered.

He looked at her with concern in his deep blue eyes. "I know, Spence. You just changed your mind at about eight months," he recalled.

She pressed her hand against her forehead, attempting to soothe the headache. "I can't believe someone like her would do this to me, though. _I trusted her with everything._ I told her everything. We survived A together."

Mentioning A to Toby was still like putting alcohol in the wounds. "Why didn't she want you to keep them?"

Spencer shrugged. "Maybe she really didn't want me to be here with two children," she suggested. She looked down at her hands in shame and fear. "Maybe she wanted me to go to Europe with her," she guessed. "You know that I was planning on going to Cambridge. But I guess I just knew that if I went, I'd never know why. Did I really want to go to Cambridge? Or was it that I wanted to escape all the evils in this town? In this place, where there's so much trouble that just seems to follow us everywhere."

"Do you regret not going to Europe?" Toby asked.

Spencer was completely catatonic for a few moments. She finally shrugged. "On one hand, I'd be away for so long and I'd have almost nothing to come back to after college. My whole life would be built in England. On the other hand…" she began. "I'd have a chance of coming back to you. I never would've become an alcoholic, and you never would've left."

Toby couldn't look at her at all after that statement. "What about if you knew about Aria back then what you know now?" he inquired, avoiding any sight of Spencer.

"Maybe we'd have everything."

Toby just had to look at her after that statement. "You can't be serious. _Everything,_ Spencer? Children are really expensive," he reminded her.

"Not the material things, Toby; we would have more love and joy than we could know what to do with. It would be the two of us, who loved each other more than words can describe, and our beautiful daughters, who I already love more than I would have ever dreamed," she explained. There was a distant, dreamy look in her dark, deep eyes. "It wouldn't have been much, but it would've been more than enough for me. Everyone has this misconception that all I really want are the pearls and the pink champagne, but I don't; what I wanted for so long was a family and for people who loved me because I never got that as a child." Spencer's voice began to waver and she began to crack as she said, "And I feel like a failure. You always want better for your children, but Analeigh and Dianna must feel horrible because of me; I didn't give them that. But you did. It's clear who the better parent is."

"That's not your fault. How else are you going to be? This is new to you. I'm a lot more forgiving, not only of other people, but of myself. I don't think you've given yourself the time to heal. You never confronted the past; you just pushed it aside and hoped that it wouldn't come up again. But that's no way to live, Spencer."

She looked off into a distance, almost as though she were imagining a new life for herself. "I stopped hoping for them to come back a long time ago. You know how I feel about hope," she began. "But then they did appear. It was something like I had never experienced before because it was all new." She plucked a single flower from the vase sitting next to her and touched its silken petals. "For once, my hope wasn't abandoned to die like a flower without water. For once, it was able to prosper, like tulips after a plentiful rain. Everything that I knew and I had learned; it had broken. So maybe the poet was only half right. We break, again and again. But maybe we're not always broken. Maybe, when we find that person who changes everything, there is use in hoping. There's a point in trying and a point in putting your heart on the line. Isn't that what love is? You may not have realized it, but everything I thought I knew and all I thought was true was changed because of you. Before I knew Toby Cavanaugh I didn't think it was possible for me to want so little. And here I am. Before him, I didn't settle for anything less than perfect, but he made me love my flaws. And before him, I didn't think anybody would ever truly love me. But I think he proved me wrong. For once, I hope that he proved me wrong," Spencer said quietly as she twirled the flower, most likely a daisy, in between her fingers.

Toby studied her and studied the flower.

"He did."

* * *

_I hope that Spoby moment was a little less weird, (ha ha). But to address some comments I got last chapter:_

_reneexotyler15: I'm glad you may have finally forgiven me for what happened with Aria. I knew it would make a lot of people sad/unhappy/angry, but I just thought that it was a very interesting twist. Even though I like Sparia, I'm totally Team Spanna, and as I began writing the story, I realized I hadn't included Aria at all (at around chapter six or seven), and I still wanted to incorporate her into the story. So, I thought exactly of what little miss was up to since high school, and my thinking just came around to this idea. For a while, I was considering making Mona the ombre-girl (as I call her; more on that maybe in another chapter), but...yeah._

_Totaldramfan123: I'm glad you liked Aria being a little bit (or a lot a bit) evil, and I don't know what to say about that Spoby moment. I kind of just started thinking about it, and then I liked it because it seemed awkwardly cute, so I just wrote it down and I know I'm making a run on sentence which is a little bit uncharacteristic of me, but I just really have a lot to say :) I hope that this moment here was a little less awkward ;)_

_Guest (Angel): I'll take that comment as you're frustrated in a good way, but just remember that THIS IS A SPOBY STORY. And I'm totally with you on that "they're meant to be". _

_Onedirection2013: You're welcome. And I know what your comment is (most likely) going to be; I will try my best to update ASAP. If I could, I'd probably update like every day, but I'm not quite that fast of a writer._

_xxil0vey0uxx: That's genius and I wish I could say that I came up with that myself, but I really didn't. I kind of just decided to be mad at Aria and give her a storyline other than Ezra in this fanfiction. For all of the characters, I kind of wanted to give them more than just couple-y stuff, and I guess as a result, none of them are really dating anyone. That's a little sad, but whatever. I wish I could tell you my thoughts are that complex, but they're not. But I was going for that unique feeling (since I don't think anyone's done a story like this on this site, not that I've read every single fanfiction on here. I've read like twenty. As a general rule, I abandon the story once I'm waiting for an update for like, three months. I also can't stand blatantly obvious incorrect grammar, but then, I realize that I'm a grammar Nazi and most people are not). So, thank you._

_the lights of paris: I will take that as a compliment, so thank you. I hope that this does not boggle your mind as much, but it makes you happy :)_

_Guest (Akire): I try not to keep you guys waiting so long, lo and behold this chapter! I'm glad you like this story and "Begin Again". I also can't believe people are reading my story all over the world! I see the traffic graph from my story going from places like (I presume South) Korea, Australia, Belgium, and Argentina (and then I genuinely feel bad because some of these countries, I know nearly nothing about and I can only guess where they are), so I'm glad that people from everywhere like this story and connect to it. I feel like even though this story is unique, a lot of people I know can relate. But you are awesome, and I'm very glad that I have you and each and every one of my viewers. Thank you all so much!_

_Guest (Rachel): That is a good question, but I'm not sure if I can give you a clear cut answer. Since I love being so mysterious, I'm going to give you a quote (which I think I have heard from somewhere, but I'm not sure): "Everyone wants a happy ending, but you can't find love without breaking hearts along the way." It kind of relates to what I'm trying to tell you (without being too obvious). I can promise you that Wren doesn't have a happy ending. He's a certified BUM and I don't like him. _

_Anyway, I hope that I answered your questions! Oh! I forgot one that someone asked me the other day. Some of my favorite Spoby fanfictions which I highly recommend:_

_-__**Dont Play Games**__ by ThatKidFromSchool: I just find this story unbelievably fun to read, and I really love Spencer & Toby's initial dislike of each other, which eventually wears away into passion._

_-__**An Everlasting Love That Never Went Away **__by LittleSpoby2199: I love this author and I really like this story (and I'm kind of pissed cause I feel like I just got left hanging, but I really do like it)._

_-__**If You Ever Come Back To Us**__ also by LittleSpoby2199: Okay, I should just change it to pretty much anything by LittleSpoby2199, since I've read almost everything of hers (and loved them all), but this one holds a special place in my heart. It just gives me the feels. It was the first fanfiction I read on this website, and I stayed up until like 3AM reading it because I was that obsessed, oh my god. Read it, it's amazing._

_-__**Moving On & Letting Go**__ by RandomRandoms14: I love this story so much, but I think my favorite thing about this author is her youtube channel. I demand you go and look up "pretty little liars friends" and click on the one made by RandomRandoms14. It's so funny. I also love her PLL version of "Mean Girls". Toby...swoon. _

_-__**Spoby Trilogy **__by .Marcella: That's not the title of the story, but this author wrote a trilogy which I am in love with. It's so heartbreaking and such a great read. _

_I know there were like two other fanfictions, but I can't remember them right now. If I think of any more, I'll let you know! _

_**-That Chick That's Typing Right Now. She just got the feels thinking about these stories and demands you read them now. We can start a fanfic club. **_


	30. Chapter 30

_**Author's Note: **__Sorry for the wait, but I am finally back (after a week). I've just been getting this horrible writing block. Personally, I think most of this chapter sucked (but I like the end and suddenly, a twist popped up in my head), but this is what you wanted. I just don't know what to do anymore without disappointing you guys. To address some comments:_

_**Onedirection2013**__: You really just have to be patient, but I PROMISE that it will happen. Maybe after Aria decides to stop being a bitch. _

**_Forever Courage: _**_Well...I don't know what to say. But I'm glad you love Dianna. I love her, too. She is named after the very lovely Dianna Agron, who makes up half of my profile picture :)_

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_Thank you! And I just love her work. She is amazing. _

**_Hay-SecretPossiblePhantom-Love: _**_I'm very glad that you like this story AND that you love the fact that I made Aria evil. I know some people are less than pleased, but I'm glad to know some people don't think I'm totally crazy (and if you still do, just know that I very well may actually be crazy; there is no method to my madness)._

**_the lights of paris: _**_I realize that these chapters don't seem that long, but I guess it's also because of how often I break up the lines. Like, there was this one chapter I wrote which was just barely six pages, yet it was over 3000 words, and there was another about seven pages long that was like less than 2000. But to answer your question, I double space (no space added between paragraphs), in Calibri (body) 11 pt. font. So the font isn't that big, either. _

**_Loup-Garou-Alpha: _**_I love Spoby, as well :) I think if everyone loved Spoby, I'd get along with everyone._

* * *

**Chapter Thirty**

Hanna, Emily, and Analeigh arrived at the hospital. They sat for a beat of silence before Hanna recapped the plan.

"So the plan is, I go into the hospital, make a scene, and you two go to that room or whatever and look through Wren's things and take his phone," she said.

"Okay, but what if that doesn't work? What if he has his phone on him instead?" Analeigh pondered.

Hanna nodded. "Right…Ooh! I know! Since there's like this code that he always has to be our doctor when one of us goes to the hospital, I'll feel him up and steal his phone. It'll work," Hanna explained.

"God, Hanna…" Emily commented.

"I think it's a good idea. Good job, Hanna," Analeigh said.

Hanna beamed. "Thank you! You see, Em, this is why I love having Analeigh around—she's like having a mini-Hanna. Now you can have two of us!"

Emily looked out the car window, avoiding eye contact with both of them.

* * *

Spencer sat nervously, awaiting the arrival of her long, lost—and now possibly guilty and evil—friend.

_Where is she? She wouldn't stand me up, would she?_

Spencer glanced at her watched. She rearranged the fruit in the bowl for the fifth time this morning.

Aria finally walked in through the door. She smiled when she saw Spencer and quickly sat down across from her. "What did you want to talk about, Spence?"

Spencer didn't look Aria in the eye for the first few moments. She still didn't want to believe in the slight possibility that Aria might be hurting her. "Hey, Aria. I need to talk to you about something that's really important," she said seriously.

Aria's face fell. "What is it?"

"I've just been thinking a lot lately. About Dianna and Analeigh…the things that happened when I got pregnant with them," Spencer elaborated.

"What about it?"

"I just keep thinking back to what you said to me about them. About it being a mistake."

* * *

_The svelte brunette sat her friend down on the couch. The brunette with the growing stomach was growing more and more weary each coming day._

_"What is it, Aria?" Spencer asked cautiously._

_"I just need to talk to you about this," Aria said, gesturing to her stomach._

_Spencer scowled and looked down at her stomach. "'This'? That's what you're referring to them as now? Like they're things, not human beings?" she snapped._

_Aria shook her head. "No. I'm just talking about your pregnan—I just wanted to talk to you about how I reacted. I was wrong, okay?"_

_It lightened Spencer's mood to hear Aria admit that she was wrong about the pregnancy. "Really?"_

_Aria nodded. "I realize that you love Toby, and that you already love these babies. And it was wrong of me to tell you all those things. Even though I think things would've been a lot easier if you weren't pregnant at eighteen, I can't change things. What I'm trying to say is, as long as you love Toby, he loves you, and you both love these children, who am I to stop you?"_

_Spencer smiled when she heard Aria say that. _

_"I want to stand behind you no matter what, Spence," she claimed._

_Spencer didn't need to hear it. She pulled Aria in for a hug, her slight bump not causing a problem._

* * *

"You lied. You said you would support me no matter what; you didn't. Why did you lie to me? I know you told me at first that you were okay with me having the babies, but you asked Toby to convince me to give them up for adoption? How could you do that to me?"

Aria looked like a deer (a doe) caught in headlights. "Y-you know that?"

Spencer nodded slightly. "You were so two-faced, Aria. I thought you would know how much it sucks to be lied to! We were lied to for the longest time. But the thing that makes the least amount of sense to me is why you even wanted me to give them up for adoption. You were in Europe this entire time! Why did you even care?"

"It was a complication. You weren't going to live your life."

Spencer became very agitated. "Well maybe I didn't want to live my life! Maybe I was okay with being with Dianna, Analeigh, and Toby. Maybe that was what I wanted. You didn't think once to ask me? Ask me how I felt?"

Aria bowed her head. She looked at her sheepishly, until she eventually couldn't look at her at all. "It's not all what you think, Spencer," she said meekly.

"Well, then explain it to me, Aria, because this whole time, I was worried about my sister stabbing me in the back. I didn't realize you were the one holding the knife," Spencer growled.

Aria looked saddened. There was genuine pain in her eyes. That, Spencer knew, was true. "It's not what you think! Spence…"

"Don't call me Spence! Only my friends are allowed to call me that."

Aria gasped. Was their friendship truly severed? "Spencer…"

"Just go, Aria!"

Aria walked out just as quickly as she had come in. Spencer couldn't think anymore. She had nothing left to say about the situation.

* * *

Emily insisted that she wanted to wait in the car. She was not about to watch Hanna and Analeigh's ludicrous plan unfold horribly.

Inside the hospital, Hanna and Analeigh walked down the eerie white hallways in search of Dr. Wren. "Do you know where he usually works?" Analeigh inquired.

"I think he works as a general doctor. I mean, he's done, like, everything at this hospital," Hanna answered.

"So where would he be?"

Hanna shrugged. A lightbulb went off in her head. "I'll call him!" she exclaimed. "That bastard better not have changed his number," she said as she raised her phone to her ear.

She heard the shrill ringing of a cell phone down the hall. They both followed the sound. It led them to an empty office. They saw the phone sitting there, and Hanna quickly took it. She looked around the hallway.

"Analeigh, stay here and be a lookout. I'll only be a minute," Hanna instructed.

Analeigh's mouth opened wide. "But, Hanna—"

"Just stay here and let me know if anyone is coming. If you see Wren coming this way, distract him," Hanna continued.

Analeigh sighed, but there was clearly no stopping Hanna. Hanna kept the door ajar, while Analeigh looked around the hallway. She paced as though she were visiting someone in the hospital.

_Hurry up, Hanna, _she thought anxiously.

In the blink of an eye, Wren rounded the corner. Analeigh instantly went into panic mode. Wren was the first to speak.

"Analeigh? What are you doing here?"

Analeigh tried to keep as calm as she possibly could. "Oh, I…I'm just visiting my grandmother in the hospital. She had a fall or something. I don't know. She broke her leg. It wasn't good," she explained. _Don't tell him too much, Analeigh. Just get your story figured out._

"Oh? That's unfortunate, but things could've been worse," he reminded her.

She mustered a fake smile. "Actually, I'm having trouble finding her room. Could you show me where she is? My father said her room number is 573?" Analeigh asked. Wren led her down the hallway to where you could go either way.

"You just have to go down this hall and take the elevator up to the fifth floor. Room 537 is to the left when you get out of the elevator. It should be somewhere near the end." Using her peripheral vision, Analeigh saw Hanna walk out of the room, gesturing towards the door and quickly walking out of sight. "Would you like me to walk you there?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. I think I've got it. Thank you, Dr. Kingston," she said, walking away hastily.

Analeigh made her way down the hallway, and she was grabbed by Hanna. "We should go. Now. We can talk about this in the apartment. This is big," Hanna informed Analeigh. Analeigh gulped. This couldn't be good.

* * *

Dianna walked into Toby's house and collapsed on the couch. She felt comfortable around her father, but their relationship certainly wasn't like that of Alexis and Castle. They weren't there yet. Dianna hoped that someday, they would be, but not yet.

"Did you know my mom's friend Aria?" Dianna asked suddenly.

Toby grimaced at her name. Dianna wasn't aware of what happened. "That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about."

Dianna looked at him quizzically for a minute before her face fell. "Oh, no. Not you, too. Don't tell me that Analeigh filled your head with that 'Aria is Evil' crap. It's not true," she insisted.

"Your sister is a lot like your mother. And I realize that they both have this pre-disposition to make an accusation without any proof, but this time, your sister really does have proof and you may not be safe around her."

Dianna looked at him sadly, not wanting to believe this could be true, but not wanting to accuse him of being a liar, either. "What could she have possibly done?"

"Set fire to that house when you were younger."

_What? _Shocked was the least you could say about Dianna. "No. It's not possible."

Toby shook his head. "Dianna, she wanted you out of your mother's life. She tried to get me to convince your mother to give the two of you up for adoption. I wouldn't be telling you this if I didn't think it was relevant. I'm not a petty person," he added.

She shook her head. "You have no proof. I want to believe you, but I don't want to accuse Aria of something she didn't do. That's not right either."

"I'm not saying she definitely did it. I'm just saying, consider the possibility. You should stay away from her."

"You're barely my father. You can't tell me what to do!" she exclaimed rebelliously. As soon as she words were expelled from her mouth, she wanted to pull them back in. "That's not what I meant to say. I mean—"

"It's exactly what you mean," Toby said, somewhat sharply and somewhat sadly. "It's what you were thinking, anyway. I understand. But you should go. Do whatever you want. I can't keep doing this with you and your mother," Toby continued, before he got up and left Dianna alone.

Dianna didn't know what to do. She sat there silently for about five minutes, contemplating her next move. She did the only thing which seemed logical at the moment. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed #2 on her speed dial.

After about five rings, a voice picked up. "Hello?"

"Alison? How quickly can you get a train to Philadelphia?"

* * *

I paced back and forth in front of Wren. "You idiot! How could you let go of _your phone?! _I'll bet those bitches have it right now! Analeigh was in the hospital at the same time you managed to misplace it? Do you know what's on there? It will completely unravel everything."

Wren rolled his eyes. "Aria, do you hear what you're saying? Everything is already messed up. Do you see what you're doing to your best friend?" he asked.

"She's not my best friend anymore!" I snapped. "She abandoned me at my lowest point. I can't believe her. She got everything she deserved. Everything and more," I said persistently. "Everything is falling apart. She wasn't supposed to know it was me. I was supposed to take everything like she ruined it for me. This is unfair. Karma doesn't seem to get the ones who deserve it the most; rather, they punish the ones who are trying to correct what it didn't already do," she said abstractly.

Wren glared at her. "You're so evil."

"Why are you helping, then?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Maybe I liked the idea of revenge. Revenge on Toby. I don't understand why you haven't let me kill _him _with the morphine."

I scowled. "I should have. She's such a bad mother, she'd probably care more about him than about Dianna dying from morphine," I commented. I touched the coffee cup in front of me. "We just need one big thing to send her over the edge. I don't care what it is, but I need to go out with a bang."

I set down the cup, looking off into space. My own deranged memories were taking over now. I couldn't help it anymore, but I knew it was all wrong.

* * *

_#RIPSpaira? #Hannaleigh? #PoorEmily? #crAzyAriA? What is your comment? Review, please!_

_I will make you guys a deal- 10 reviews, an update. Sound good? I just need one more review for Chapter 30! Make it happen! __**-Kayson**_


	31. Chapter 31

**_Author's Note:_**_ In this chapter, I'm dropping two bombs on you (one is more of a confirming-bomb, which kind of lays the rumours to rest...the other is a real OMG, this chick is craycray moment), therefore, I expect at least 10 reviews or no chapter 32 (I also kind of need to finish writing the next couple of chapters...my other story is being seriously neglected). _

_Le sigh, but moving on, three characters reappear in this chapter (unless Mona and/or Selena was in the last chapter. I can't even remember anymore. This is horrible)._

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-One**

"Promise me that when I show you this, the next time I see that British bastard I get to bash his stupid head in?" Hanna inquired.

Emily winced. "Is it really that bad?" she asked fearfully.

"You tell me."

Hanna opened her laptop and connected her iPhone to it. The three waited patiently in an awkward silence for the photos to load. She clicked on the first one.

"These are things that I found in Wren's locker. What is with all of these things?" Hanna asked. She pointed out a prepaid international calling card (which includes access to Europe) and an I.D. She moved to the next picture. Emily jumped when she saw it.

"This is a picture of Aria around the same time that Dianna was in that fire," Hanna explained.

"It's the same exact picture that was on her passport," Analeigh added.

Hanna shook her head. "That's not the only thing. I don't know why I never thought of it before," she said, verbally kicking herself in the head. Hanna minimized that window and opened the internet. She went to Google and typed in "Aria Montgomery".

Emily shrugged. "What are we looking at, Hanna?" she asked blandly.

Hanna pointed her Delta Nu Pink-polished nail at the third result. "In case you need a visual…" Hanna went to Google Images and Emily's jaw dropped on the ground. "I looked it up on my phone. Aria is a flight-risk. She fled from Europe because she was wanted by the officials."

"What did she do?" Analeigh asked.

"What didn't she do?" Hanna was met with silence. She sighed. "She had three DUIs, one check fraud, and most recently she had a kidnapping charge," she explained.

"Kidnapping?"

Hanna nodded. "There's an article about it online."

Hanna went back to the web mode of Google. She amended her search to "Aria Montgomery kidnapping" and saw what came up. The first thing was an article on Aria kidnapping someone.

"What happened?" Emily said, not wanting to read the entire thing.

"Apparently, while she was in Paris, she kidnapped a little eight year-old girl. She held her captive for three days before the little girl managed to get help. Aria ran and she crossed the border to Italy. She's a refuge. This happened five months ago. So she used a fake passport to get here. Her I.D's match and everything. She's not here as Aria Montgomery. Apparently, her name is Meagan Tori Romy. She goes by Meagan Tori. Do you notice anything else? It's an anagram for 'Aria Montgomery'."

"That's so cool! I want an anagram! I'd be…Angie Leah Ros," Analeigh smiled.

"My name would be…my name is horrible for anagrams," Hanna sulked.

Emily sat with her eyes gaping. "Are you serious right now? When I see that girl—"

Hanna shook her head furiously. "No. You are not about to screw this up for us, Emily! Our one advantage in this is that she doesn't know we know about all of this. We need to find rock-solid proof that she did this."

"What rock-solid proof?! She has a history of kidnapping children and she's a refuge!" Emily exclaimed.

"But do we have anything that explicitly puts her here at the time of the fire?" Analeigh inquired.

Emily looked down sheepishly. "No."

"Exactly. So now I know where my Dianna disguise comes in. I'm going to get as close to Aria as I possibly can to take her and her group down."

Hanna nodded, proud of Analeigh. "Right after I bitch slap Wren," she added.

At that very moment, a little pop-up came up on the bottom right-hand side of Hanna's screen. It was a little automatic notification from G-Mail, informing her of a new message.

"What is that?" Emily asked curiously.

Hanna shrugged and clicked on it. She didn't recognize the e-mail address. Analeigh read the message aloud.

"Here's your proof, now catch your little liar before she takes things too far. –A. The real one?" Analeigh asked in confusion. Of course, she really didn't know who A was.

Hanna cautiously clicked on the little attachment icon on the message. A bunch of pictures popped up. They were several of Aria, including one of Aria conversing with Melissa, who was holding Dianna. They were pictures that Analeigh knew the Wyomissing Police did not have. They were pictures from the security cameras, as they were dated with the exact date which Dianna was caught in the blaze.

"Do we need any more proof?" Emily inquired angrily.

"Who are these pictures from?" Analeigh asked Hanna.

Hanna shrugged. _They couldn't possibly be from…no…it couldn't be…could it?_

* * *

Mona typed away with her coffee at the internet café. She barely noticed the little brunette in front of her. But she did.

"Selena? I thought we weren't meeting each other until next week."

Selena nodded. "But I need to talk to you. It's about Ms. Hastings and her daughters," she explained.

Something about Selena just melted Mona's heart. She was so much like her, but…better. "What about her?"

"You need to tell her daughter Analeigh about what you know, and how. It's the only thing that'll save her family. Please. Analeigh is one of my best friends and it just sucks to see her go through so much," Selena said slowly.

Mona considered it for a moment. All things considered, she knew the feeling of having a best friend—a partner in crime—was the best feeling in the world. Having a family was that feeling times ten. Family stands by you unconditionally. Through all the things that she did to Spencer and her friends—er, family—she was owed a bit of the truth, even if it meant pain. The ugly truth, Mona found through years of experience, was much better than a beautiful lie. One day, the lie will be missing, and all that's left is the ugly truth. Wouldn't you rather hate the real thing than love something you can never truly have?

"Fine. I'll do it," Mona said.

Selena gave Mona a sincere smile. She was truly grateful that maybe things could go well for them for once.

"Is something else bothering you?" Mona asked, her voice dripping in concern.

Selena shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel like I've been losing people a lot lately, almost like I'm pushing them away. But honestly, I'm not in a good place right now. I got rejected by my dream school. I'm applying again in the Winter, but I already feel like I've lost time," she sighed.

"It's okay. You'll make it through. You're a smart girl. You're sweet, Selena. And you're not trying so hard to beat everyone else. The future looks bright for you," Mona added with a smile.

"Thank you."

As Selena left, she looked at the pictures she had just sent. She didn't care whether or not Aria went to jail forever; she was an evil, sick person. Mona should know, right? Evil and sick recognizes evil and sick.

* * *

The last time Hanna stepped foot in that hospital before the previous time, she was there to visit Analeigh, who was _hit by a car. _Hanna was getting answers about this, no matter what cost. Wren knew something, one way or another, and she was finding out what it was.

She spotted him in the maternity ward (the perv—Hanna didn't care whether or not Wren was assigned the place; he was still a creep). She flagged him down furiously. She saw that they were alone in the hallway.

"Hanna?" Wren asked in surprise.

Without a second's hesitation, Hanna slapped Wren so hard that the _smack _echoed in the eerie white hallways. "Tell me what you know. I'm not playing games anymore, Wren. I want the information and I want it now," she said. Feisty.

But Wren was going to play dumb as long as he could. "What are you talking about, Hanna?" he asked with fake confusion.

Hanna only glared at him. She wasn't buying this act for a second. "Cut the crap. I know you know about Aria and you helped her. I know about Meagan Tori Romy, or Meagan Tori, as she goes by. I know about Aria being a refuge and _kidnapping a kid _in Paris. I just want to know why. Why did the gumdrop turn into a Sour Patch Kid?" she demanded.

"Sour Patch Kid?"

Hanna rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Wren got closer to her and whispered. Him being so close made Hanna's skin crawl. "I'll tell you but it has to be later. Somewhere where there aren't so many people watching."

Hanna sighed but agreed to it. She was clinging onto one hope that he wouldn't be the bum he usually was and just come clean. There really was no denying it anymore; Hanna had all the proof she needed. She was certainly going to snitch, but she wasn't sure how or when. She wanted to know the complete story of why Aria did the things she did.

Hanna couldn't help but wonder if there was something else behind Aria taking Dianna at the fire. She did, after all, kidnap a little girl very recently. Maybe it was something even Wren didn't know.

_Oh, crap. _

Hanna's stomach went in flip-flops as she realized that she had to do the one thing she really didn't want to. She would have to get the story from the topic herself.

* * *

Alison looked around Dianna's apartment. It certainly looked nice. Dianna stared at Alison in amusement. Her hair was now a strawberry-blond color. Dianna thought it suited her pretty well, but didn't really make anything but snarky comments on it.

"You wanted to talk to me. I took a train to come talk to you. You're going to tell me the damn story starting…" Alison glanced at her watch. "Now!"

Dianna sighed. "You know how I was telling you about my mother's friend, Aria?"

"The super sketchy one?"

Dianna sighed again. "Please don't. I'm asking you to be objective here."

Alison rolled her eyes. "Fine. Keep going."

"Anyway, my sister and even my father have been telling me to stay away from her. They think that she was the one who kidnapped me in the fire. Isn't that crazy?"

Alison shrugged. "I don't know about your sister, but your father probably knows her better than you do. She was your mother's best friend. Maybe you should distance yourself a little and look at it from all angles."

Dianna feared that this was exactly what Alison would say.

"This is kind of a touchy subject, but do you remember anything from that night?" Alison asked with caution.

Dianna had to laugh sardonically at this. "Are you kidding? Of course not! And even if I did, do you really think that I'd remember that so clearly? It happened fifteen years ago. I don't remember anything right."

Alison backed off. "Whatever you say."

Though Alison was finished asking her the question, Dianna couldn't help but continue to ask herself the same thing. She wasn't sure whether she was lying to everyone else or to herself.

* * *

_A young, beautiful little girl watched in amusement as a picture of black, orange, red, and crimson rose from the house. Of course, she was too young to fully capture what was going on, but the only sights in front of her were the house, the dense woods, and the stars and moon watching over it all. She laughed as she watched the flames dance and lick away at what little was left of the house. _

_She lay back down on the bed of grass, staring up at the moon and stars. She wasn't at all aware of the danger which was only a matter of yards away from her._

_"Get the girl!" she heard a woman's voice say. Things were hazy. Unbeknownst to her, but it was likely from the smoke. _

_There was a scoff before the same voice replied, "Fine. I'll do it."_

_She looked up and suddenly saw a heart-shaped face. It wasn't the best light to tell, but it wasn't hard to make out the girl's perfectly clear ivory skin and ebony hair framing her face. She had large hazel eyes and full cupid bow lips. She was quite beautiful. She looked sweet. "Hello, baby girl," she cooed._

_The girl could feel herself laughing and squirming, but no longer had any control over her body. She remembered the woman singing her to sleep. That was the last very clear memory she had of anything before being tossed around the foster care system._

* * *

"Dianna!"

Dianna hadn't realized her own troubled expression and quickly broke out of her reverie. She looked to Alison, who was standing in the kitchen with an unpopped bag of popcorn.

"What?"

"I said, do you want to watch 'The Notebook' or 'A Walk to Remember'?"

If only that were the simplest question in her life right now.

* * *

_What was your favorite part of the chapter? #AliIsBack? #WrenisaSuperCreep? #HannaBitchSlaps? #ITWASARIA! My personal favorite is #HannaBitchSlaps!_

_And now to address my lovely reviewers:_

**_the lights of paris: _**_You're seriously too sweet and I'm not sure what I did to deserve awesome readers like you. I'm also glad someone likes #crAzyAriA :)_

**_reneexotyler15: _**_I'm not going to string you along and say that she's actually playing double agent or whatever, but :( If it's any consolation, I promise that this Spoby story has a happy ending for Spoby. _

**_Encantria: _**_Thank you so much! I was hoping that my story would be at least a little realistic, and I am consistently annoyed with stories that have no story except for them being happy because that's not real (unless it's like a one-shot). Sometimes I worry about it being too dark, but the ending is good. I have the Epilogue already planned and I think some of you will be pleased (yes, even you Sparia shippers)._

**_Onedirection2013: _**_Thank you, Love!_

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_I think that Crazy Aria is actually scarier than Crazy Mona. I would be scared, especially if I were Spencer (I know why Aria is doing this...mwahahaha. But I'm warning you: __***SPOILER ALERT* **__It's evil and spiteful and actually very sad for Aria)._

**_Hay-SecretPossiblePhantom-Love: _**_Here lies Sparia, forever in our hearts..._

**_Loup-Garou-Alpha: _**_Thank you very much. I hope that this chapter isn't as much as a filler (I personally feel this chapter is better)._

**_CC Forever A Writer: _**_Thank you, and TA DA! I present (or presented) Chapter Thirty One._

**_xxil0vey0uxx: _**_I'm quite happy that you figured this one out...I'm just going to leave it at that before I incriminate myself of something else..._

**_Guest (Carlyyyyyy): _**_Ha ha! I guess you really enjoyed it! I hope you did well on that exam! I just finished mine like a week ago and I'm quite glad that school is over for me now._

_Remember! 10 reviews = 1 update! And, come on. Don't leave that cute little review box feeling unwanted. __**-Kayson**_


	32. Chapter 32

**_Author's Note:_**_Wow! You guys posted those reviews pretty quickly! I'm upping the ante this time around. 12 reviews=1 update. I am about 99.999% positive that you will not be disappointed with the next chapter. It's something a lot of you have been asking for for like...forever :)_

_In this chapter there's not too much action :( but there's some good moments. Like, I really love Hanna in this chapter. There's some Tona. Somewhere in the world, a Kayson is fangirling because her reincarnate got to meet Toby freaking Cavanaugh. This chick typing right now is freaking out just thinking about it!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Hanna waited for Wren. And she waited. And she waited. At about two hours after they were supposed to meet, she finally abandoned hope.

_That no good, pedophile, bastard…._

Hanna sighed in frustration as she walked down Rosewood's streets. She just wanted Spencer and her family to be okay for once. Spencer was her best friend. She thought that after all of the hell and back they had been put through for so long, they all deserved happiness. But it all wore on Spencer the most. So many people so close to her betrayed her. She wasn't always Toby's biggest fan—especially when she learned of his betrayal—but she was able to abandon her reservations when they got together and Hanna saw how undeniably happy Spencer was with Toby. There was none of Spencer acting haughty or fake, like she was trying to impress someone *cough* Veronica, Peter *cough*. She was just…Spencer. And Hanna knew that, for once, Spencer felt like being "Just Spencer" was enough for one person. He loved her, she love him. Love could be that simple.

Except for when it couldn't. Though the basic facts would always stay the same, they couldn't control what happened around them: they couldn't control that someone had always been tearing them apart; they couldn't control their status of star-crossed lovers, somewhat doomed from the start; they couldn't change that her parents didn't approve; they couldn't change the things that life threw at them, including children, bitchy fiancés, or basket-cases of ex-best friends. It was all out of their reach. Nothing could be changed about the fact that they were star-crossed lovers, and apparently, the universe hated them.

Hanna's heart ached for them. There was a particular pain when she saw a family eating ice cream at a shop across the street. There was a mother, father, and two younger, identical-looking girls. Maybe in another life, that would've been Spencer, Toby, Dianna, and Analeigh. Maybe they could have had everything.

Hanna knew better than anyone that it sucked to have a black sheep of a family. She only ever had her mother. Her father was a dead-beat who never cared. She was so different from everyone else. Spencer still had a family. She had a mother, father, and sister, who, even though they never showed it, loved her dearly. Aria had two parents, too, and a brother. Emily had her mother and father, who accepted and loved her for who she was.

And Hanna had her mother. Though her mother was great, there was this void which couldn't be filled. She just had a mother. She had a friend, but she didn't have a protector. Her mother had it so hard, while her father was creating a new life, as if she never existed. Hanna could never forgive him for that. He caused so many emotional scars.

This was why she refused to let the same happen to Dianna and Analeigh. Though they missed out on so much with their own parents, time could be made up. Hanna knew that both Spencer and Toby loved them. It could work. _It had to work. _There was one thing Hanna was sure of, and it was that she'd be damned if Aria ruined it for yet another family.

* * *

She nervously knocked on the door. She bit her lip as she waited for an answer. A few moments later, the door opened to reveal a man who was at least a foot taller than her.

"Are you Toby Cavanaugh?" she asked nervously. Not only was she intimidated by his much larger stature, but also the fact that he was her best friend's biological father, which meant he could likely be as snippy as she. But it was clear that Toby Cavanaugh did not conform to the norm.

"Yes. Can I help you?" he asked.

She nodded. "This is about Analeigh and Dianna. I know you're probably not going to believe me, but I know who it was that took Dianna," she said.

He looked confused, but entertained the small girl. "Who?"

"It was Aria. Aria Montgomery," she announced slowly.

"How do you know?"

Selena stared up at him with big brown eyes. "Mona Vanderwaal has the proof."

Wordlessly, she left the apartment.

Something was up. Toby could tell. Something wasn't right here. He had to speak to Mona.

The mere thought made Toby feel sick. The last time he had seen Mona was when she was A's second in command. But it still had to be done.

* * *

Dianna sat uncomfortably in Aria's apartment. Aria came over to the young girl and set down two cups of coffee, one for each of them. Dianna quickly took a sip of it, black.

"Have you spoken to your parents or Analeigh?" Aria asked cautiously.

Dianna hesitated for a moment. Looking at Aria, she lied. "Not really."

Aria breathed a tiny sigh of relief, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Dianna. She was growing wearier and wearier each passing second she was around Aria.

"So why did you want to talk? Did something happen?" Aria inquired.

Dianna shrugged. "I just keep hearing these things about you. When I did speak to my sister, she said that you…" Dianna trailed off. After a pause, she shook her head. "Never mind. I was right. It didn't make any sense."

"What did she say?" Aria said on full alert-red.

Dianna laughed, as if she was thinking about how ridiculous Analeigh was for thinking such a thing. "She thinks you're the person who kidnapped me when I was little."

Aria wasn't laughing. Dianna grew nervous.

"That is ridiculous, right?"

Aria sat, tapping her nails on the cup. Her teeth were chattering quietly, and it almost looked as though she was shaking in fear. "If I tell you something, you'll have to promise you won't get mad."

Dianna didn't answer her, but it was made quite clear that she still wanted an answer.

"Your sister must have found out," she began. She was trying to put this as euphemistically as possible. "Your mother was the one who did it."

Unfortunately, Dianna didn't adopt Spencer's knowledge and instead inherited Toby's naïveté. "She was the one who kidnapped me when we were younger."

Aria looked down. "I can tell you the whole story."

* * *

Mona, for the first time in what felt like forever, was nervous. She wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to talk to her about. There were a number of things. But she was pretty sure of what it was.

Did he know that she knew about Aria? Mona at least figured that they were playing on the same side this time. She didn't want to see Aria get away with what she was doing. Aria's suffering didn't make her a martyr; it didn't make her any less capable of sorting right from wrong, which Mona knew from her own experience. She had to deal with the consequences, and she knew that she didn't want people to go through what she did. And if they did what she had—hurting someone intentionally—they needed to pay the price.

Mona was certain that Aria was the culprit. She wasn't quite sure why. She thought and thought and thought about it. She could never come up with a viable answer. Mona wasn't stupid; the answer wasn't sitting right in front of her. It was something that Aria took a long amount of time to bury meticulously, so none of the evidence remained.

She looked up as she heard someone sit in front of her. She looked into his azure eyes, trembling inside and not knowing what to say. She was never scared of him before, but something about him at the moment made her feel weak and scared.

"What did you want to talk about, Toby?" she asked cautiously.

"Your friend talked to me. I didn't catch her name. She was a really short brunette and she said Aria was the one who kidnapped Dianna," he explained darkly.

Mona looked at him in half-shock. "She told you all of that?"

"She said you have the proof," he said, not really answering her question.

Mona sighed. "It's true. I can give you the evidence, but I know that doesn't guarantee that you'll believe me."

"Do you have it with you?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Do you believe me?" she asked laconically.

He stared at her for a moment. It was the first time he really sat down with Mona one-on-one since what happened in high school. He nodded. "I don't have another option."

She looked him over for a moment, before she went in her bag and pulled out a blank, sealed envelope. She held it for a moment, almost as if she were mentally weighing it. She was just about to let it go in his hand when she tightened her grip on it. "You can't open it here and you can't let the wrong people see this. Don't ask me any questions about it—that includes how I got it, or why. I can't explain, but it's real and you could have someone check it if you wanted. It's everything I know. And you can't let the wrong people see this when I'm gone," she said rather cryptically.

"What do you mean, 'When you're gone'?" he asked nervously.

She got closer to him, making her voice much lower so nobody could see them. "I've been doing this for a long time, Toby. I know I'm eventually going to disappear, one way or another, and I have a feeling it's rather soon. Don't look for me; don't even mention my name. It's all too dangerous, especially with her still around."

Before Toby could question her further, Mona disappeared. She got out of the booth and left. Toby could've sworn that he didn't see her even walk out the door; once she was out of his sight for a moment, she was gone. Her presence was eerily hanging, but Mona was nowhere to be found.

* * *

"I'm listening, Aria," Dianna informed Aria.

Aria took a deep breath before beginning her long winded story. "It was probably…fourteen years ago when you were three. She called me, frantic one night. It was right before she was checked into Radley. She was hysterical, and she kept talking about death and missing someone. She was a mess. I took the first airplane back to the states to console her. Hanna was in New York and no one else was around. She let me in on this plan she had. It was one to take you back. She wanted you back. It was like something you only read about in books, but that was what she wanted. She wanted to get you back and be a family with you, her, and your father.

"I told Spencer she was crazy, but she said that she was going to do it anyway. I followed her. When she set the house on fire, I was the one who called 911. Spencer left with you and I followed before the police and firefighters came. She also had the help of Melissa and Wren, but they already left. Eventually, I got back in touch with her mother. She had you, and I told her that what she did was wrong, so wrong, and she agreed. But I didn't think she would put you in the foster system…it didn't make sense," she explained. She looked pulled into her own reverie and reminiscence.

Dianna finally found her voice beside her. "S-so what are you saying? She was the one to put me in the foster care system?"

Aria shrugged. "I wish I could tell you. But that was just what I heard. I'm not positive."

Dianna gasped, realizing that all she thought was true—the relationship she had managed to forge with her mother—it was all a lie. She buried her face in her hands, unknowing of what to do. She barely contained a sob.

Aria placed her hand on her back, rubbing circles as an attempt to comfort her.

Dianna suddenly hugged me. I touched her hair affectionately, but I barely contained a smirk behind her back. Perhaps all the misdeeds and the lies could still be tied up at the ends. Perhaps this wasn't the end of the line for me after all.

* * *

_I hope you don't hate me too much :)_

_Remember! 12 reviews=1 update! If it's any motivation, I think that because of chapter 33, I will have to change the rating of this story to M ;)_

_Onto addressing reviews from Chapter 31!_

**_itsjnsommer- _**_Sorry if this chapter bored you, but things pick up a bit in the next chapter! There's Spoby (as a guarantee)._

**_reneexotyler15- _**_We will find out why Aria did this. Aria sort of explains in Chapter 35, and the entire thing is explained by Chapter 37 (the final chapter). And after all this hell, aren't Spencer and Toby owed happiness? I think so :)_

**_Onedirection2013- _**_:)_

**_Spobyforever1907- _**_I'm so glad I'm not the only one who loves #Hannabitchslaps! And, Honey, I KNOWS FOR A FACT that Spoby will be coming up soon. _

**_Guest (unnamed)- _**_I'm glad to know that you like it that much! _

**_the lights of paris- _**_I just love Crazy Aria! I think that she needs a little bit of that on the show...she's just too sane. We'll find out more about her kidnapping story soon. Not right away, but soon. It will most definitely be addressed. _

**_rayewhitee- _**_Thanks!_

**_Emmy 739- _**_I promise that things will get pretty intense next chapter (or the chapter after that). Some big event happens that shakes up everyone in Rosewood. _

**_Guest (Rachel)- _**_Actually, I am 14 (as I think I've mentioned in a previous AN). I just turned fourteen in March. That Spoby scene was just about the best thing I could ask for (since the episode came out like a week before my birthday). I was fangirling. _

**_Brittana4ever- _**_As I mentioned before, I love crazy Aria. She's a very multi-dimensional character in this story (which I don't feel is as true on the show :( )._

_So 12 reviews=1 update? I'll be keeping a lookout :) **-Kayson**_


	33. Chapter 33

_**Author's Note: **__I'm ba-ack! I can't believe how much you guys have been reviewing! I'm pretty glad, because if I didn't update today, I'd have to wait until Monday. _

_In case you haven't noticed, I changed the rating of this story to M, mostly because of things that happen in this chapter. I'm so excited to post this, and I hope it isn't too weird. To get you all excited, this chapter was about nine pages long, and half of it was Spencer/Toby-centric._

_I'm going to dedicate this chapter to the lights of paris, because she's really cool and I personally can't wait to see her reaction to this :) This is for you!_

_Did someone order Chapter 33 with a side of Spoby?_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Spencer couldn't stop sobbing. For days, she was just locked in her room. Hanna had tried relentlessly to coax her out, but nothing was working.

"Spence? I have hot chocolate with your name on it! It's mocha," she attempted weakly. She rapped on Spencer's bedroom door with her knuckles again. "Spence? I even have a whole bunch of Leonardo DiCaprio movies on my Netflix account. Titanic? The Great Gatsby? Romeo and Juliet? Spence?" she tried again.

Just as Hanna was about to walk away, Spencer stepped out, closing her door with an odd _click. _Hanna almost shuddered at her appearance. Her hair was matted, and her clothes looked about ready to graph to her skin. Her face looked hollow and her overall appearance was haggard and frail.

"You said something about mocha?" she inquired. Her voice was still the same as it always was, maybe just a little bit raspier. Despite her worn appearance, Spencer still had a childlike, innocent quality to her.

Hanna smiled. "I thought of you when I saw it at the store. But I'm not making it until you take a shower and put on clean clothes. How long have you been wearing that, Spence? Two days?"

"Three," Spencer corrected.

Hanna groaned and handed her a bottle of pink grapefruit body scrub. "You need to scrub off ten layers of dirt, Spence. Now!" she instructed.

Spencer rolled her eyes good-naturedly and walked out of the room.

As she stepped into the shower, she breathed a sigh of relief as the scalding water burned away at her skin. She hummed quietly to herself. Though she was depressed about the betrayal she had just experienced, now that she knew the truth about Aria, she could remove the bad parts of her life. Aria was a good liar, and good liars generally couldn't be trusted.

She started to wonder if maybe that's why she loved Toby so much—he was a terrible liar. He could never tell her a lie that wasn't to help her. At least, not that she knew of. He had to guilty of a conscience to ever successfully lie.

The water continued to burn on her face, and Spencer didn't even realize that she wasn't alone. Lurking in the shadows was a hooded figure.

Spencer did as she was told and rubbed shampoo and conditioner into her scalp, as she did with the soap in her skin. She felt much cleaner and her mind felt clearer now.

Spencer reached for the towel, which was hanging off the door to the shower. She wrapped it around herself. She was taken by surprise when she was grabbed as she walked out of the cell. She attempted to scream, but her mouth was covered by a glove. She suddenly saw a blue handkerchief nearing her face. She caught one whiff and immediately felt a little drowsy. She tried with all her remaining strength to get it and the person away from her, knowing all too well what it must've been.

Alas, Spencer finally succumbed to the person's force. She went limp in their arms. To me, she just looked like a sleeping angel.

"Spencer? You've been in there a long time," Hanna's voice called out. Damn it! This bitch would ruin everything.

Quickly, they simply abandoned everything and went back out through my entrance route—the window.

Hanna, soon after they left, walked into the bathroom, gasping in fear when she saw Spencer lying there, unconscious. "Oh, my god! Spence!" Hanna sat down next to Spencer. She held her, putting Spencer's head on her lap and sitting beside her. She began tapping Spencer on the side of her face and shaking her, hoping she would wake up.

After about one or two minutes of pleading with Spencer, she opened her eyes drowsily. "Hanna…what happened?" she inquired.

"I don't know. I just walked in because you were taking a while in here and you were just passed out on the floor. What happened, Spencer?"

Spencer thought for a moment. She looked over at the open window and it jogged her memory. She got up and robotically got up to close the window, proceeding to lock it. She didn't look Hanna in the eye, but said, "Someone came in here and attacked me. They were the ones to knock me out. I don't know what happened," she said.

Hanna's blood turned to ice. "What?!" she demanded. "Spencer…I know I'm supposed to leave for New York tonight for Fashion Week, but…if you're too scared, I'll cancel," she insisted.

Spencer shook her head indignantly. "No, Hanna. Go. I'll be fine. Your train leaves tonight at six. I'll bring you there," she said.

Hanna looked at her, unconvinced. Spencer gave her a weak smile.

* * *

Dianna walked into her living room/dining room/kitchen and immediately made a beeline towards the coffee pot—that, she definitely got from her mother. She didn't think much of the person sitting on her couch, but she did a double take when she realized that person was not a strawberry blonde. Rather, it was a girl with shoulder-length light brown hair and a slender build. It was Analeigh.

"Analeigh? How did you get in here?" Dianna inquired.

Analeigh turned around to look at Dianna. "Your friend let me in," she explained.

Dianna sighed. She would find a way to get back at Alison for this—she just knew it. "Why are you here?"

"We need to talk. About everything. I know you're uncomfortable, but I don't want to be like Melissa and Spencer. I don't want to be estranged from my sister. And I don't want to be like our mother in regards that she's estranged from her whole family," Analeigh explained.

Dianna scoffed. "You're right. _I'm the one _who's going to be estranged from her whole family."

"But you don't have to be!" Analeigh exclaimed. "I understand what you're saying and what you're thinking, Dianna. I really do. I've been friends with that one person that nobody trusted. I know what it feels like to have everyone shove accusations down their throat and have it be overwhelming for you. But you have to listen to our side, too."

Dianna crossed her arms stubbornly. "I don't have to listen to anything. You have everything twisted, Analeigh. Maybe instead of accusing the people who are exclusively close to me, you should look at the ones that affect both of us."

Analeigh, flabbergasted, was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe you're accusing someone who isn't close to you so you don't have to deal with the repercussions," she accused her sister.

Analeigh was incredulous. "Dianna, that's ridiculous! I'm going to have to deal with it either way. It affects Spencer. Aria was her best friend."

"Well, maybe instead of feeling bad for Spencer you should look at Spencer as a suspect," Dianna answered cryptically.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Dianna sighed and rolled her eyes. "She's the one who kidnapped me!"

Analeigh shook her head. "Our mother is a lot of things, but she's not a criminal. Not like that. It's not possible."

"Well, maybe it is!" Dianna shouted.

* * *

Spencer shakily paced the apartment. She had already double-locked each and every window and the patio doors were triple-locked. The front door had three locks, a deadbolt, and a chain on it. Needless to say, Spencer was paranoid and nervous. Shakily, she pulled out her cell phone, looking through all the contacts. She stopped on his. Nervously, she clicked it and called him again. She was taking a leap of faith and knew that it was wrong. But she couldn't resist.

He didn't answer, so she decided to leave him a message.

"Hey, Toby. It's me, Spencer." _He already knows that, you idiot._ "I know this is going to sound weird, but…I just want to talk. Not about Dianna or Analeigh or anything. I just wanted to talk to you. As a friend. I'm just so scared and alone and…I just seed someone right now." She suddenly thought of the attack that morning, and choked, feeling a lump rising in her throat. "I just really need you now," she said, not suppressing any emotions. "I'm alone and scared, and…I need you now."

Spencer sighed as she hung up the phone. She wasn't sure, exactly, of what she had just done, but she knew it would either end well or horribly.

* * *

Not even five minutes later, Toby listened to Spencer's voicemail. It hurt him to hear such vulnerability and pain in her voice. Her suppressed sobs were also like daggers to his heart. He knew immediately what he had to do.

"Hello?" she answered. Her voice sounded so raw and full of pain.

"Spencer? Do you still want me to come over?" He asked this more out of politeness—she had called just five minutes prior, and if she already changed her mind, she was quite fickle.

"Please come over, Toby," she pleaded.

"Okay. I'll be over soon," he promised.

* * *

Analeigh looked at the large, intimidating house. The door opened, as if Melissa was expecting her. Melissa was behind the door. She closed and locked the door quickly behind Analeigh.

"What do you want?" she asked.

Analeigh shrugged. "I want to know if you know why Aria did it all."

"You figured out it was Aria?" she asked.

Analeigh nodded with some hesitation.

Melissa sighed. "I didn't want to do any of it. To any of you. Aria told me to convince Spencer to give you two up for adoption. But your mother decided it all on her own. She didn't need me to convince her. The only reason I was in it was for the money. Aria said she would give me money, and I needed it more than anything. I never wanted to hurt Spencer, but I needed it. Student loans, house payments, and fertility treatments add up after a few years," she said sardonically. It seemed to be found throughout their family.

"Aria never told me anything. I suspect she told her little lap dog, but none of this was my plan. I was only there because of what Aria had promised me…and she had something against me, too. There was this one client that I had…he was murdered and I was a witness. It was because of the case I had for him. I don't know how or when she found out about it, but she was so eager to hang it over my head. She was going to tell the person who murdered him that I saw. I would be next. I had to do what she told me to, or I knew I'd be dead. I didn't know what else to do.

"It started with convincing Spencer. Right around the time she kidnapped Dianna, the murder happened, and I had to go along with what she was doing. And now that I'm in so deep…I can't get out. I'm stuck in her web until she finds another person to prey on," Melissa explained, that disdain peeking through again.

"She really is a bitch," Analeigh said rather bluntly.

Melissa let out a laugh. Analeigh felt sick knowing how easily Aria used secrets against others. "Thanks for talking to me, Aunt Melissa."

Melissa brightened at the use of "Aunt." "'Aunt'? Really?" she inquired optimistically.

Analeigh nodded. "We both better get used to the feeling. I think I'm sticking around for a while," she explained.

* * *

Toby waited outside of Spencer and Hanna's apartment door. He heard as Spencer undid all of the locks (three locks, a deadbolt, and a chain), and Spencer finally opened the door. She smiled at him. "Hi."

She allowed him into the apartment. He stepped in cautiously. "Where's Hanna?" he asked.

"She went to New York for Fashion Week with her mother. Thanks for coming. I was just really scared," she told him.

Toby looked at her sadly as she closed the door and did all six types of security on the door. "What happened?"

Normally, Spencer wouldn't be so easy to cave, but Toby made it really easy. "This morning, someone attacked me."

He looked concerned, but Spencer could sort out the emotions in his eyes. Right now, she read fury. "How? Where?"

"Here. In the bathroom, actually. Someone opened the window from outside and they began attacking me and knocked me out. I think it was with chloroform. I don't know. All I know is that I was taking a shower, and when I got out, they attacked me. Hanna found me in the bathroom and she got completely paranoid. I wouldn't let her cancel her trip to New York because I know that she's always wanted to go to Fashion Week, but now…I'm just really scared," she admitted. _Spencer Hastings? Scared? Since when does that happen? _

Toby laughed and held her hand. "You're such a good friend, Spencer," he added.

Spencer shook all her thoughts out of her head. "I thought I said that I didn't want to talk about these things lately. I just wanted to talk about the two of us for once."

Toby looked at her. Though she put on a brave face, the sadness couldn't be masked in her eyes. "I can't do that when I know you're sitting in front of me, suffering. What happened?" he asked.

Her face fell and she looked at the couch where things were sitting. "I never knew that things would be this hard." Her lip trembled and she could no longer stop the tears from cascading down her face.

Not being able to stand Spencer crying, Toby hugged her. Spencer shook violently in his arms, her entire body shaking in sobs. "I didn't think that after Dianna and Analeigh were born that we'd ever have to see them again. And I didn't think after you left that I'd ever have to see you, either. Now that everything is coming back to me, I see how much I've missed and…I hate myself every passing day for it, Toby! I keep thinking about how we'd probably still be together and…we would be married…we would have Dianna and Analeigh…soon we'd be helping them look at colleges for after graduation…we would be planning their graduation party. This November would've been our twentieth anniversary," she murmured into his shirt.

Toby hugged her tighter, willing himself not to get emotional over what happened. She was right—it would've already been twenty years since they first started dating.

He couldn't lie anymore. He was lying to everyone, including himself. He didn't love Nicole. He was still in love with Spencer.

"You know that whenever you need me, I'll be there," Toby reminded her.

She shook her head. "I love knowing that." She pulled away from him, her eyes rimmed with red. "But I know it's not true. If something happens with your family, you have to be there, first. You're getting _married _and I'm sure that soon, you'll want to start a family…" she trailed off. She couldn't help but feel as though he was choosing Nicole and their potential baby over her and their children.

He shook his head, but looked down at the couch. "That's not true. Even if she is my wife…you're the mother of my children," he mumbled.

"What will happen if you two have children?" she asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"You'll still be a higher priority. You were my first love."

"But you're married to her! Doesn't that make her your last love?" she argued.

He shook his head. "What if I'm in love with you?" he asked quietly.

They both looked at each other. Spencer was immediately hypnotized by his beautiful blue eyes. Even though Spencer wasn't wearing any makeup and her hair was pretty messy, Toby thought this may have been one of the most beautiful of her manifestations. Without really thinking about it or its possible repercussions, they kissed. It was better than any kiss they might have shared within these last few months. It was intended, and it was sweet and kind and gentle. Spencer felt a jolt go up her spine as he placed his hand on the small of her back. Toby felt his mouth go dry and he realized how much he actually loved her.

Spencer was actually glad that this time, she made so much effort that day in being locked away from the world—all the windows were sealed shut and all the curtains were pulled closed.

Without thinking about this action either, Toby lifted Spencer up and brought her into her bedroom. Spencer immediately felt embarrassed because it was messier than usual (but let's face it; messy for Spencer is only like a slightly out of place hotel room). Toby didn't care. Rather, he was concentrating on her and her lips, and how much his heart was racing. He didn't think about Nicole. He didn't think about what had happened with Analeigh and Dianna. He hadn't thought about the things Mona had given him.

Spencer was too overjoyed to think about what this would mean. For the first time in forever, her brain had shut off. But then again, she realized it was the first time she and Toby had been together in this way for years. She didn't have a kind of love which made her go dry at the mouth or made her tongue twist in knots. She never felt those butterflies or forgot the simplest of things because of anyone else except for Toby.

Both of them feared and thought about the same thing—what if, when they left this room, things go back to the way they were? What if the other acted as though it never happened? It would break the other's heart, and both knew that they'd never find another to love them like the other did.

Though Spencer's heart broke at the mere thought of this, she didn't dwell on it too much. She simply lived in the moment, not caring about anything else. She was showing her skin—and her metaphoric skin, not the beige layer covering her body—to someone who was doing the same. In essence, she was telling her story and showing her emotions to someone who was doing the same with her. Spencer hadn't felt that way in years, and the feeling felt better than one could even fathom.

No words were exchanged in this liaison. Spencer wasn't even sure if one could consider it a full-blown affair, but it didn't matter. At that very moment, she had him. That was all that mattered. Even though her world was falling apart at the seams, he was there. He always was, and Spencer hoped he always would be.

* * *

_I hope that scene wasn't too odd for you! I was pretty happy with this chapter as a whole. I'm warning you all know that some of you may not be entirely pleased with me next chapter, but chill. I've just given you guys something you've wanted for a long, long time. And something happens that some of you have been hoping for next chapter, too :)_

_Now to address my lovely reviewers: _

**_Guest (Carsasaallakay): _**_Thanks!_

**_Emmy739: _**_I've been so happy with this overwhelming positive response I've gotten to making Aria evil. This wasn't what I anticipated, but I guess that you guys kind of like me making Aria like the anti-Christ or whatever. She's insane._

**_Forever Courage: _**_Of course, I can forgive you? And Aria is trying to play of Spencer as the bad guy to Dianna, and DIANNA IS EATING IT UP. I will confirm that much. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_:)_

**_reneexotyler15: _**_Aria was the one who kidnapped Dianna when she was younger, but she's trying to convince Dianna that it was Spencer. She wants Dianna to believe that Spencer went through all that trouble to get her back, only to put her into the foster care system._

**_the lights of paris: _**_well, I don't know how to address that, but I take it that you're excited (since you're writing in all caps). _

**_sydneytravis4: _**_I wish that the show would make the characters a little more dimensional. In a way, I guess that was a positive thing that came out of making Toby A (on the show). He was turned from a moral compass to the enemy. Still, other characters like Aria and such should be a little more dimensional, otherwise they're very flat. I tried to make the characters as dimensional as possible. _

**_Guest (DedicatedToSpoby): _**_No need to go on the 12 different computers. Thank you, everyone, for the wonderful reviews!_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Thank you, darling. I strive for originality :)_

**_Encantria: _**_Here is your update!_

**_Sylviecake231: _**_Yes, the story will have a happy ending for our favorite family. Spoby will make up in the end. Was this chapter of any reassurance?_

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_I hope that this chapter was worth the wait!_

**_Guest (Lily): _**_I'm actually indifferent about Aria being A. I wouldn't be surprised, but I have a feeling that the writers don't have enough backbone to do that. I agree! Aria is being a bitch now. But I promise that we will find out why. _

**_Hay-SecretPossiblePhantom-Love: _**_Here's the update! And I love how we're still on that #Hannabitchslaps. We need more of that on the show._

_So leave a review to let me know how I did! __**-Kayson**_


	34. Chapter 34

_**Author's Note: **__And here we are at Chapter 34! _

_Here's a little hint (very obvious hint): I would absolutely LOVE to get to 200 reviews by tomorrow :) It would just make my day and probably assure a speedy update. I hope to have the the last 4 chapters (including this one)+epilogue by next week. It should be done by July 1st :)_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Spencer woke up in a heap of tangled sheets. _Was last night all just a dream? _She looked down. _No, not unless I just decided to strip off all my clothes and go to sleep. It's freezing! _She realized how cold it really was and pulled a fuzzy blanket closer to her small frame.

Spencer looked around the bed and realized what had happened last night. Her clothes _and Toby's _were all around the bed. _Did I really just sleep with a man who has a fiancé?_

_So what, Spencer? He was yours first. It's just time you reclaim what's rightfully yours, _Spencer's "Hanna" side of her brain argued.

_But it's just so wrong! He's already practically made a life commitment. It's like screwing a…well, it's like screwing a married man!_

_So? He's hot and he loves you. _

_Shut up!_

Spencer shook both voices out of her heads (in this case, it was her own on one side, and Hanna on the other) and proceeded to put on a bathrobe. She shivered as her bare foot hit the hardwood floor.

When she walked outside, she saw Toby there, with a cup of coffee. But he barely noticed Spencer. He was looking at the TV, which was on.

Spencer tried her best to avoid eye contact with him, feeling a little flushed.

Toby gave Spencer a cup of coffee, but his eyes were mainly focused on the screen.

She finally looked over at the TV screen to see what he was so captivated by. "What happened?" she asked.

"It's Mona," he began.

"What about her?" she asked nervously.

"Mona was out last night—the police don't know where she was going, or what she was doing—but she was murdered."

Spencer stopped dead in her tracks. _Mona is gone? Forever? _"Someone murdered her?" she asked shakily.

Toby shrugged. He also didn't know what to make of the whole situation. "She was stabbed seventy-three times after being hit by a car," he recalled.

Spencer winced. Whoever killed Mona knew her and had a lot of pent up rage against her. When she was younger (and less scarred), Spencer used to watch those murder shows, and the women who stabbed their husbands that many times were never given clemency; self-defense was one story, but stabbing a person who was practically already dead was not tolerable. "Do they know who did it?"

Toby only shook his head.

_Goodie. Now there's another murderer on the loose in Rosewood. It's same old, same old._

* * *

Analeigh and Olivia sat with Selena, who was bawling her eyes out. Olivia looked less than amused, while Analeigh seemed more worried than anything.

"I just can't believe that this is actually happening! I mean…you guys are my best friends, but for once, I had a friend who knew _exactly _what I've lived through. And now she's gone…" Selena trailed off.

Olivia sighed. She wasn't quite sure exactly why Selena was so sad; she had only known the girl for like, three weeks? Probably less.

Analeigh shook her head. "I can't believe this is happening, either."

Olivia turned to Analeigh. "But didn't she do something like really messed up to your mother? Didn't she, like, _murder _one of her best friends?" she asked curiously.

Selena sobbed again, burying her head into Analeigh's shoulder. "Olivia!" Analeigh scolded.

"What? I'm just asking!"

"She didn't kill anyone. And she changed. I truly and honestly believe that she wasn't the same person she was in high school. Either way, that doesn't make it any less painful to hear that she's dead, and that she died in such a horrible way," Selena claimed.

Analeigh rubbed circles in Selena's back as her crying ceased. "Talking to Mona was really therapeutic for you, wasn't it, Sel?" she asked.

Selena nodded silently. After a moment, she said, "It was the best I ever felt since I got diagnosed."

Analeigh just hugged Selena, who sniffled.

"I don't even know who would want to kill her."

"Maybe there's a lot about Mona that you didn't know," Olivia responded cryptically. Analeigh thought about that for a minute.

It was true, there was always a side to the story that was never truly brought to light until the book was closed and the verdict was given. But which is really more important—the obvious or the hidden truth?

* * *

Toby walked into his apartment. He saw his fiancé sitting at the island in the kitchen, already drinking white wine.

"Toby. I've been waiting for you. I need to talk to you," she said. In her voice wasn't anger or disdain. It was just…distant. Hollow.

He immediately sat down across from her. She didn't seem angry or stressed out like she normally was these days. "What is it?" he asked.

She looked at him for a moment. Wordlessly, she took off the large rock she was sporting on her left ring finger. She put it on the island. She looked him in his eyes. "I know you still love her. You don't love me. I don't blame you, and I want you to be happy."

This almost came as a shock to him. But there had to have been _some _reason that he put up with her for so long. It was probably because she wasn't so bad when she was under so much stress.

"You deserve it. And I deserve it, too."

She got up and walked to something which Toby had failed to notice before: a mass of her belongings right near the door of the apartment.

"Have a nice life," she said as she walked out the apartment.

Toby examined the ring for a moment. He only hazily remembered picking it out. It wasn't some big romantic gesture or anything. It was just…a ring. It didn't mean anything more to either of them. Shouldn't it have been a promise? A promise that they'd always be there for each other?

He realized as he stared at the ring and how much it suited Nicole that this ring meant nothing to him. He realized that there was only one person in the world where a similar ring would mean a promise. An engagement ring could only ever be a promise to Spencer. He knew in his heart that it was because she was the only person in the world that he would really want to marry.

Things seemed so much clearer now, and Toby was sure of what he really wanted.

* * *

"Hello? Spencer!" Hanna called out. Spencer was sitting at the island with coffee. There was a cup waiting for Hanna.

Hanna smiled at Spencer brightly. "Hey. You will not believe how _cute _the clothes were in New York. And I brought you something," she said. Spencer didn't seem at all responsive to what she was saying. Hanna grew worried. "What's wrong?"

"Hanna, there's something I need to tell you," she announced.

"What happened?" she asked.

Spencer gulped. "While you were away, Mona was murdered."

Hanna froze. Her blood turned to ice. She didn't know how to react. She wasn't devastated; Mona hadn't been her friend for years. She wasn't happy; she _did _once have a friendship with her. She wasn't clear of emotions; they had too much history for her to feel nothing. "How?"

"She was stabbed to death. She was out walking last night and on her walk, I guess her murderer ambushed her. She was stabbed seventy-three times."

Hanna winced at the large number. Whoever stabbed Mona must've been really mad. Seventy-three was _not _a small amount of stab wounds. Hanna thought of how much pain Mona must've suffered.

"I can't believe it," she said finally.

"I'm sorry, Hanna. This must hurt a lot. I know that now, you weren't close, but…at one time, she was your friend when we weren't," Spencer said.

"It's fine. I'll be okay, Spence. I think I'm just going to go to bed."

Hanna went to the fridge to get a bottle of water. She passed Spencer's room to get to her own and peeked inside. She noticed a man's shirt as she passed by. _A man. _

She stopped to question Spencer on it. She brought it out of the room. "What's this? I know for a fact it's not yours," Hanna said, lifting it up with a finger.

"It's a shirt, Hanna. I thought someone who owned a boutique would know that," she said sarcastically.

"Whose is it? It's not yours."

Spencer didn't speak.

"Who did you sleep with while I was away?" she asked, amused.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone," Spencer said. Hanna nodded feverishly. "Toby."

If it were humanly possible, Hanna's jaw would be on the floor. "Spencer!"

"I know. I'm terrible. I feel so dirty, but…it was worth it, Hanna. Even if it was only for one night and it was the last time…it was amazing," she said, feeling like a naïve teenager.

* * *

I didn't know what to do anymore. I had blood on my hands. There was nothing else I can do. Everything was unraveling. I knew it was all my fault, but there was nothing I could do to stop myself. It was like this compulsive need to just screw everything up for not only everyone else, but myself as well.

I tried to remember how it even started. It had been such a long time since it all started.

The more and more that I'm thinking about it, the more and more I realize that I had been lying to myself this entire time. I truly didn't acknowledge the mere existence of the baby, nor did I acknowledge my involvement in Dianna's disappearance.

Over the years, I became so good at lying that the lies were blurred with the truth.

I don't know what happened to Aria Montgomery, but she wasn't the person who looked back at me in the mirror. I was living under the name Meagan Tori. The more I used it, the more I actually believed it was my real name.

So, Aria Montgomery was not the person who murdered Mona Vanderwaal.

I shuddered at the memories of what happened the previous night.

* * *

_I knew that Mona was plotting to expose Melissa, Wren, and I. I couldn't let that happen. Dianna had bought so perfectly into my lie; discovering I was the rat would just bring the family closer together. I wasn't letting that happen. I couldn't lose her again._

_I knew what I had to do. I was spying on Hanna, Emily, and Analeigh. I knew that Mona was the one who sent them those pictures. Those pictures could have been the end of it all. _

_Some nagging part of me knew that Mona was about to act on her knowledge, and she would tell Spencer. Spencer was more important than anyone. I didn't care about Toby, Dianna, or Analeigh. I cared about Spencer. Spencer was my friend. Spencer was the person who I was supposed to be able to trust. She let me down, but I believed in second chances. Maybe I believed in them because I loved her. I'd be damned if Toby and their children stole her away again._

_She was my reason for doing all of this. I truly believed that if Toby, Dianna, and Analeigh were out of the picture, we'd be free. _

_I grabbed the long knife which was sitting in the car beside me. I ran my finger along its edge. I looked down the street, where I saw Mona walking. Pulled up my hood and walked over to her. _

_She stopped when she saw me, but she didn't look that surprised; it was almost as though she were expecting me. Rather, she looked scared. "You're here to kill me, aren't you?" she asked, already knowing._

_I nodded, not being able to form the words. _

_"Why did you do it?" she asked finally. _

_I looked up at her. "I learned from you, Mona. You taught me that those girls are the people I treasure the most. And you also taught me how to do this without getting caught," I explained._

_"But why?" Mona asked again. She saw a certain look in my eyes. Was it shame? "Are you in love with Spencer?" I didn't answer. It was true, and I didn't know how to address it. "Well she's never going to love you, Aria. Not in that way. She's in love with Toby. She'll never be in love with you."_

_Her saying that made me so angry. "You don't know, Mona! So just shut up about me and Spencer!" I exclaimed._

_"I'm telling you this so you'll stop. Aria, you need help. Misguided recognized misguided. You're doing wrong. You may love Spencer, but getting rid of her family and the people she loves? It's not going to make her love you," Mona said to me._

_"I'd have her all to myself, for once. No distractions, no kids, no boyfriends. It would just be her and I, and everything would be perfect."_

_"It'll never be perfect for you because you're not honest with her. That's why she loves Toby. He makes her feel good about herself and he never lies to her," Mona said._

_It was enough anger for me to finally snap. She screamed prior to me knocking her out, proceeding to begin stabbing her. The sound of the knife entering her flesh made me want to retch, but my body wouldn't. I don't know how many times I stabbed her, but it was a lot. _

_When I was finally satisfied, I took her bag. When I got back into the car, I looked through the blood-soaked thing. I found the pictures which I suspected Mona was about to turn in. To who, exactly, I wasn't sure, but they needed to be destroyed. I didn't expect on finding her MacBook. I hit the jackpot. _

_I drove to the Marina, where Wren and his boat were waiting for me. It was a mild winter night, and, surprisingly, his boat wasn't the only one out. _

_Wren drove it out into the middle of the bay and I took the anchor and brought it on the boat. It was really heavy. In a garbage bag, I placed Mona's bag and the now smashed-up bits of her MacBook. I placed the knife in there. On the deck of the boat, I stripped down completely and threw all the clothes I was wearing in there, so I'd be completely free of any evidence. After changing into a new set of clothing, I tied the bag to the anchor and dropped it to the bottom of the bay. _

_I felt a little piece of my sanity and my heart sink down to the bottom with the anchor. It was a horrible feeling._

* * *

Now, looking at it in retrospect, it seemed crazy. Aria couldn't argue. It was. I was no longer sure if it was Meagan or Aria doing all of these things. Either way, I knew it was wrong, and that the deep, nagging feeling in my stomach was not nervousness—it was guilt.

I know knew there were two things I was absolutely certain of in this world: I loved Spencer Hastings, and I needed to tell her about this secret, before it was too late.

* * *

**_Hay-SecretPossiblePhantom-Love: _**_I think I will be able to have this finished by July 1st. I've already finished the writing; I just have to update the individual chapters._

**_Guest (Jenny): _**_I guess I was picturing Dianna as having an Emily-like persona when I made her up. I kind of like that she's being played by Aria and it's tearing them apart. I'm so evil. mwahahahaha._

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_I'm glad it was worth the wait!_

**_reneexotyler15: _**_Good things come to those who wait..._

**_Sylviecake231: _**_What should Dianna and Analeigh's ship name be? Diannaleigh? 'Cause I totally ship that. I ship that almost as much as I ship Spoby. #TeamDiannaleigh_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Like I said, some things are worth the wait. _

**_Forever Courage: _**_Spoby rules!_

**_Guest (Lily): _**_I would love if Alison could come back to life (rise from the dead, so to speak) and be Team Liars, but I doubt it'll happen. I agree that Alison is much more dimensional than Aria. I think she's one of the most, if not the most, multi-dimensional character on the show._

**_xxil0vey0uxx: _**_If that logic is true, I must be like freaking Mighty Mouse or something. I would love to be evil :)_

_So leave me a review! Until next time! __**-Kayson**_


	35. Chapter 35

_**Author's Note: **__I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter's plot twist! I had it planned ever since I thought about making Aria evil! And now, here's chapter 35!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

"What is it?" Emily asked curiously as she looked at the yellow envelope in Toby's hand.

Analeigh was also waiting anxiously to see what Mona had given him.

Toby paused, looking at both of them.

"Open it!" they exclaimed in unison.

He obediently proceeded to open the envelope. He slowly pulled out enlarged pictures. They were the same pictures that someone had sent to Hanna. It was the first time Toby was seeing them. "Is this Aria...?" he trailed off.

"The night Dianna was kidnapped? Yes. Melissa and Wren helped," Emily explained.

If it were possible for Toby to hate Wren more, he did. He hated him and was more disgusted by him than any other person in the world.

Analeigh turned the envelope over and began to shake it, to assure nothing else was in there. A few papers and a golden pin with the numbers _2012 _on it were expelled from the large envelope.

"Why did Mona give you a graduation pin?" Emily inquired.

"How should I know, Emily?"

Analeigh stopped them both. "Wait. Whose graduation pin was it? Who had it?" she asked.

"We all had one. It was given to the people in Rosewood High School's class of 2012. I have one, Spencer has one…Mona had one."

"Aria had one," Analeigh stated blandly.

Emily shrugged. "Yeah, she did. But what does that have to do with anything?"

Analeigh rummaged through her bag for something. She searched and searched _and searched. _Finally, she stumbled upon exactly what she was looking for. She took it out and placed it on the counter.

"Where did you find that, Analeigh?" Toby asked.

"I found it at the place where Dianna used to live. You know, when I went bitch crazy," she explained. "It was lying on the ground in a shed and it just seemed weird. I just picked it up. I wasn't sure if it meant anything, so I didn't just want to leave it."

Emily sighed. "It's official. I'm creeped out."

Analeigh's blood was silently boiling, and she was about to spill over. "You know what else is official? I'm going to go ham on Aria's ass. I don't care anymore. If I don't, she might hurt my sister. I'm not letting that happen."

With that, Analeigh stormed out the door as fast as her Manolo Blahniks would take her.

"We need to warn Spencer," Toby said after a pause.

Emily looked him over once for a minute. She noticed the absence of his engagement ring. He hadn't told her about what transpired between him and Nicole. "You're not wearing your engagement ring. What happened?"

"Nicole and I called it off. I guess it's for the better," he said monotonously.

"I guess it is since you don't seem to be bothered that much," Emily agreed.

Toby was silent for a moment. He smiled optimistically. "I just kept thinking about how much things have changed in the last few months. They're better."

Emily tried, in vain, to stifle a laugh. "How do you suppose better? Last time I checked, being harassed by an old friend is bad."

"But something happened that you've been wanting for months, Em," he explained.

Emily looked at him, her eyes wide. "You…you're saying…you told Spencer that you love her?" Emily asked, her heart swelling. Before she was anything, she was the world's #1 Spoby shipper.

He nodded. Emily hugged him.

"So, does that mean that you want to break this news to her?" she asked, pulling them both back to the ground.

* * *

Analeigh knocked furiously on her sister's apartment door. When there was no answer, she began banging. "Dianna! It's me! Open up!" she demanded. Finally, when her sister didn't, she went into the potted plant and dug out a key. She opened the door. She saw Alison, sitting there, dumbfounded.

"Is my sister here?"

Alison shook her head. "She went to get groceries from the store," she explained.

Analeigh sighed dramatically. "Great."

"Is something wrong? You seemed really on the edge the other day and even more so today," Alison noted.

Analeigh looked her up and down once. "Did Dianna tell you?"

"Everything."

Analeigh, figuring she could trust Alison if her sister did, answered her genuinely. "Did she tell you about Aria? And how she was in a fire when she was younger? The house she lived in was set on fire and she was kidnapped. Then, she was magically placed in the foster care system," Analeigh said, sarcasm dripping from her words.

"She told me about Aria. Aria is trying to blame it all on your mother. She made up some story about how Spencer wanted Dianna back so desperately, she went through all that trouble, but Aria convinced her that it was wrong and Spencer put her in the system."

Analeigh shook her head in disbelief. She paused as she analyzed Alison's words again. "Wait a minute. You said that she made up a story. Do you not believe her, too?"

Alison sighed. "I didn't want to tell Dianna this, because I know how she gets when someone might just disprove her, but yeah. I don't believe a thing that girl says. And she's definitely hiding something."

Analeigh nodded in agreement. She took out the pin and showed it to Alison. "I found this when I visited the place where Dianna's house was. It's a pin that everyone in our mother's class received when they graduated. Aria had one, and so did everyone else. Do you think it's a weird coincidence? Doesn't that kind of prove that Aria was involved?"

Alison shrugged, looking the pin over. She saw the rust and tarnishes on it. She smiled at the intricate designs in the metal. "It could be. But you'd have to prove that Spencer still has hers and Aria doesn't."

* * *

After the fourth set of knocks, Spencer determined that the person at the door was not leaving without an answer. She just opened the door. She was surprised by the set of baby blue eyes staring back at her. "Toby?" she asked.

"Can I come inside? I need to talk to you," he told her.

She nodded and stepped aside as to let him in.

He looked around, almost as if he had expected it to change in what little amount of time elapsed between his visits.

"What did you want to talk about?" asked Spencer's voice, breaking Toby out of his scrutiny.

"Oh," he said, suddenly remembering why he was there. Spencer took notice of an envelope he was holding in his hand. "I needed to talk to you about Aria. And Dianna. And Analeigh," he said firmly.

"I figured that that was what you wanted to talk about," she said blandly. He wondered if that was why she seemed to adamant on not talking about what transpired recently when he met her.

Toby opened the envelope and showed Spencer the pictures. Spencer's heart broke. She was almost sure Aria was playing her this entire time, but it hurt so much more to see the proof right there, right in front of her. Her breath hitched. "How do you have these?"

"Mona gave these to me. I think that was why she was murdered."

For the first time in their entire conversation, Spencer looked into his oceanic eyes. "Do you think Aria killed her?" she asked.

"It wouldn't shock me."

She put the pictures aside. Toby went deeper into the envelope and found documents. He showed her first the printed article on a kidnapping. She just read the first few sentences before they were both interrupted by a knock at the door.

Spencer gasped quietly. She walked over to the door. Through the peephole, she could see Aria standing, nervously. She turned back to Toby.

"You'd better hide. She's here."

Not questioning her any further, he hid in her bedroom. Spencer took a deep breath before she opened the door. Aria rushed inside, the adrenaline coursing through her veins, as she no longer knew what to say to Spencer; she couldn't look her in the eye without feeling the need to burst into tears.

She was only met by a stony look on Spencer's part. She showed Aria the pictures and crossed her arms defensively. "Talk, Aria. I don't want to play any more of your games. It's over. I figured you out. There's no denying it."

Aria could only look at the carpet now. She had no excuses left. "I did it. But can I at least tell you why?" she asked weakly.

"I think you owe me that much."

Aria sighed. "I did it all for you. You deserved so much better. You weren't going to be that amazing person that you are if you were stuck with Toby Cavanaugh and two daughters, all before you were even legally able to drink," she said, her voice souring and hardening at the mention of Toby's name.

"The person I was, Aria. And I'm never getting her back," she responded with a glare.

It broke Aria's heart. "I really did tell Toby to convince you into doing the adoption thing. But when that didn't work, I asked Melissa. I knew she would have to say yes. I knew that she was working in a murder case, and that she witnessed the murder. I told her that if she didn't comply with my rules, I would tell the hit man that there was a witness, and I knew she'd be next. It was a hollow threat, Spence—"

"I thought I told you not to call me that!" she snapped.

Aria was taken aback. She continued anyway. "I blackmailed her along with offering money. I knew she needed it. IVF treatments, doctors' bills, and student loans add up over the years. She was reluctant, at best, but she did it all. But we needed one more person. Convincing Wren was easy. He wanted revenge on you, and on Toby."

The thought made Spencer's stomach churn.

"I remember exactly what happened that night. Wren, Melissa, and I all went over to the Appleby's mansion. Wren and Melissa torched the place while I got Dianna. Melissa tried to convince me that it was wrong preceding the incident, but I didn't listen. But she coaxed me into sending her into the system. Don't blame Melissa for this, Spencer. She did the right thing. I wasn't stable enough to do anything for her.

"I killed Mona, Spencer," Aria confessed.

Spencer looked at her, her eyes agape. She didn't expect such a response from Aria. She expected her to avoid the topic altogether, or to outright deny any connection. She certainly wasn't expecting a confession.

After a minute with no response, Aria continued. "I knew that she was preparing to give you all of this evidence and I was trying to cover my tracks for as long as I could. I attacked her as she was walking to her car. I stabbed her. I took the knife, the evidence she had against me, and all my clothes and I dumped them into the bay. There's no way that anyone is finding them now," she promised Spencer.

Spencer winced as Aria recalled in bloody detail her attack on Mona.

Aria recalled one last thing. "I was the one who attacked you in the bathroom the other day."

Spencer looked like a deer caught in headlights. "W-what were you planning to d-do?" she asked shakily.

"I was going to kidnap you. I wasn't going to do anything to you. I just needed to get you alone; to talk to you, I guess," she said sheepishly.

"Then you should've come and talked to me, not ambushed me while I was wearing just a towel."

Aria blushed at that thought.

Spencer didn't break her cold gaze. "You're telling me a lot about what you did here, but I'm guessing that there's a lot I don't know. Like why you did all of this. I know you're telling me it's because of Toby, but I know that's not true."

Aria nodded. "You were always the smartest." She sighed, thinking of where to begin. "You know that I went to Europe to go to Cambridge. That was true. But I left out a part of the truth."

Spencer was fascinated by her speech. "I'm listening."

"I went to Europe and…I was pregnant."

Spencer sat, her mouth wide open, jaw ready to hit the floor. In Spencer's bedroom, Toby was standing with eyes agape as well.

"It was Ezra's baby. When I was there, I wanted to get an abortion, as per my father's request, but…" Aria trailed off. "When I went to the doctor, I had already lost the baby. Nothing ever hurt more than that did. I was like four months along when I found out. It was the same time that you had Dianna and Analeigh. I was only two months when I left, which is why no one ever noticed. I kept it a secret. But after that…it all went downhill." Aria sighed, pausing as she reminisced. "I started stealing. I used Meagan as my scapegoat for all of the crap that happened to me," she explained.

"Who's Meagan?" Spencer inquired innocently.

"She's my…alias. Like Alison with Vivian," Aria admitted. "And the worst thing I ever did was kidnapping a little girl a few months ago. I think what makes it so bad is the irony of it all. I lost a little girl and ever since…I've been looking to replace her. Even if that means hurting a mother," she said, staring off into space.

"Why did you do this to me? Did you come back to cause trouble?"

Aria shrugged. "I did it because I loved you. I love you, Spencer," she murmured softly.

"I don't love you. And I don't believe that for a second. Like everything else, it's just another pretty lie," she said bitterly.

Aria was taken aback. "I wanted you to myself. No Toby, no Dianna, no Analeigh. Mona was going to ruin it all for me."

"Aria…that doesn't even make sense!" Spencer exclaimed.

"I wanted to hate you for the longest time…because I feel like you abandoned me at my lowest point. Still, I couldn't because I love you. I can't hate you. I'm so in love. I just wanted you to love me back, Spencer! That's all I wanted…I just wanted for someone to love me, too."

Spencer looked at her former friend. She could now see how much she had changed. Her normally glowing, radiant skin had turned pale, and her face looked hollow. As a whole, she looked haggard, brittle, and weak.

"I don't know why you even deserve this…but I'm going to help you," she said. "I'm going to demand you turn yourself in and plead not guilty on the grounds of being criminally insane. Aria, you have problems. You need help."

Aria nodded. "I know."

"Do you want me to take you?" she asked cautiously.

Aria shook her head. "This is something I need to do on my own."

Spencer watched as Aria began to leave. Spencer almost forgot that Toby was still in her apartment. She heard him come out of the bedroom, which scared her. "Did you hear all of that?" she asked flatly.

He nodded. "Yeah. I heard it all."

"I don't love her," she answered bluntly. "I feel bad for her."

"You're a good person, Spencer—"

"Not good enough to forgive her," she interrupted.

"I wasn't finished," he scolded. "I was saying, you're a good person, but you're too smart to buy into everything that she just said. No matter how much it must hurt to see your friendship deteriorate like this, you're doing the right thing," he assured her.

She pulled him into a hug. "Toby…I'm sad to lose her as a friend, but after I heard about what she did to our daughters—"

Toby's heart swelled to hear her refer to Dianna and Analeigh in such a way.

"—I want nothing more than to never see her again."

Toby could feel her small frame shaking with each shaky breath she took. He could tell a lot was weighing on her mind right now. "I think I should probably go."

She looked at him hopelessly. She wouldn't let go of his hand. "Please don't go," she said, clutching him tightly. She took a peek at his hand.

Spencer stepped away from him and looked at his hand. "What happened to your ring?" she asked. She tried her hardest to keep the excitement out of her voice.

"My fiancé and I decided that it would be best for us both to just break up," he said.

Spencer nodded. She really wanted to break out into a smile and dance, but she resisted.

Toby brought Spencer out of her brief reverie. "It's okay to be happy, Spencer. We'll both be happier this way," he insisted.

"You and your ex-fiancé?"

"The three of us will be happier this way."

Before Spencer could register what was going on or what he was suggesting, Toby pulled her in for a kiss. Spencer just melted into him. It felt so great that now, they may actually have a shot at a relationship and being a family.

_A family, _Spencer thought. _The most dysfunctional, insane, and perfect family ever. _Spencer smiled at the mere thought.

Their sweet kiss was interrupted by Hanna and Emily walking through the door. "Aww!" they chorused in unison.

Spencer could feel the blush on her cheeks. Hanna didn't acknowledge it at all. "Did you talk to her?" she asked Toby.

"If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, I confronted Aria, Han," Spencer interrupted.

"Alright, where is that psycho, crazy bitch? Let me at her!" Hanna said, overturning the apartment looking for the tiny devil.

Emily, Toby, and Spencer just stared. "Hanna, I don't think she's here," Emily informed her.

"Well, where is she? Now I can curse her out in two different languages. Where is she? Yo hablo psycho!" she shouted.

Spencer couldn't help but laugh at her loud, tenacious, and loyal friend. She felt herself smiling in what felt like the longest time and hoped this feeling would never leave. And then she realized why.

She was smiling because of the person next to her. Already, she could see things would be different between her and Toby. They would be better. Because after all of the things that they had dealt with, they found their way back to each other. He was the only one for her, and she was the only one for him.

She looked down at their hands, which were perfectly intertwined. She smiled at the closeness.

"So I guess congratulations are in order?" Emily asked, gesturing towards Spencer and Toby. "I think we should celebrate," she suggested.

"You celebrate. I need to teach Aria a lesson that I thought she learned a long time ago—when I bitch-slap someone, it's not pretty," Hanna said, her voice laced with anger.

Spencer walked over to Hanna to speak to her, letting go of Toby's hand. "Hanna, I don't think that you need to worry about Aria. She's turning herself in to the police. And if she doesn't…" she trailed off, not wanting to think about it. "Well, I don't think she'll try anything with us again."

As confident as Spencer was at that moment, I was still shaky. One thing that I neglected to mention to her is that I became unpredictable. I had one last sliver of hope in escaping it all. My broken heart had enough, and one thing was for certain—I had to distance myself as far away from Spencer and her family as soon as possible, before something worse happened.

* * *

_Okay, so a lot needs to be addressed in this author's note, and it's basically to answer your reviews:_

**_Guest: _**_I can picture the movie now. Who would play Dianna and Analeigh? _

**_reneexotyler15: _**_Was Spencer's reaction what you expected?_

**_Forever Courage: _**_See the note below. And yes, I was hoping that you guys would realize Aria has a personality disorder (though I don't want to specify anything since I don't know the exact symptoms of all the identity disorders). The two personality disorders which came to mind as I was writing her character were Dissociative Identity Disorder or maybe a little bit of Borderline Personality Disorder [which, I believe, is characterized by black-or-white thinking; things can only be one way or another, and there's no in-between])._

**_HayBriannnee: _**_See the note below!_

**_dnprocuik: _**_I guess she has something like multiple personality disorder. Meagan is basically her scapegoat. She uses that alias because she hasn't done anything wrong under the guise of being Meagan. However, Aria's excuse for all her wrongdoings is that it was really Meagan who did it._

**_itsjnsommer: _**_See the note below. Also, I think that you'll get what you wanted. There's some fluffy Spoby (which seems to alien to me, ha ha) and some justice in these last few chapters. _

**_Guest (Lily): _**_I agree that this is why Aria is evil, and she probably wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't so motivated by her feelings of abandonment. Her other actions were driven by this yearning to have a child and basically just to be like a normal person, but she's struggling with this disorder. But I disagree with your statement on her intelligence. She's actually quite smart in tricking the most naïve person (Dianna). It's not honorable, but she has eluded being caught for a very long time. _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_*singsonging* You may be very pleased!_

**_Note: _**_I would like to make this very clear and I would only like to have to say this once. Aria is in love with Spencer, as she claims. However, she's not a lesbian, and I'm not sure she would classify herself as even bisexual. She is straight (as she is on the show, as far as we know), but she is in love with Spencer. She isn't the only one. There are people (some who I personally know) who identify themselves as gay/straight, but fall in love with someone of the gender opposite their "preference." Aria happens to be one of those people. She just found herself falling in love with Spencer. I never mentioned this (not in the future chapters, either), but this was part of the reason Ezra and Aria broke up (in my story). And it was Ezra's baby. Just confirming this. No tricks up my sleeve (not for that case, anyway). __**-Kayson**_


	36. Chapter 36

**_Author's Note: _**_I present you, Chapter 36. I'll try especially hard not to burst into tears as this uploads. :'(_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Dianna walked into the apartment beside Analeigh, and it was clear that she was in a state of utter shock.

_I know how you feel, Spencer. It sucks being lied to._

Everything was gone. Everything Dianna thought she knew was gone.

_Are you really so sure about everything you're so sure about?_

Then again, she wasn't so sure why she was so surprised. She had a dreary outlook on hope.

_You know how I feel about hope—it breeds eternal misery._

And there were probably more dirty lies that she didn't even think about.

_Sometimes things look bad and they're really not. Sometimes there's another explanation for what's going on._

_But what if that explanation is even worse?_

"So are you going to say 'I told you so' or what?" Dianna asked flatly as she sat on the floor and looked around the empty apartment.

Analeigh sighed and sat down next to her sister. "I'm not going to say anything. I know that it hurts when you make a fool of yourself," she said, looking down at the bare wooden floors.

"Thanks, Analeigh," she said, sarcastically.

Analeigh got up, not acknowledging Dianna's blatant sarcasm. She looked around the bare apartment. "Wow. Aria really got rid of everything. She's gone," she said, gazing at just how empty the place was. "She even got rid of her furniture."

Dianna placed her chin in between her knees. For some reason, this scenario seemed oddly familiar to her. She couldn't quite pick why. She had never experienced anything like this in her life. She never walked home and had nothing. If she did, she felt no emotional attachment or sadness.

"Did something like this ever happen to you?" she asked quietly.

"What?" Analeigh asked from across the room.

Dianna shrugged. "Has anything like this ever happened to you before?" she repeated.

"No. Why?"

"I remember reading something about shared thoughts between identical twins. It's kind of related to how one twin can feel when the other is in pain or really happy. It's called twinsense or something like that," she explained.

Analeigh looked around again before looking at her glum sister. "No, I've never heard of that before. Do you think maybe something like that ever happened to Spencer and Toby?"

Dianna finally looked up at her in amusement. "You know, you can call them Mom and Dad. They are our mother and father," she reminded her.

"I know, but…it's different. My entire life, I was taught that two completely different people were my mother and father. But I feel like if we called Spencer and Toby our mother and father…things would be better. Things wouldn't be so messed up," Analeigh said. She walked over to the cupboards, only to find nothing except for dust. She closed them, unsatisfied. She opened the fridge to find a hairy lime. The freezer, however, was not empty. There was an unopened pint of Phish Food Ben & Jerry's ice cream. She found a spoon in the drawer where silverware was (along with another three or four utensils, a lighter, some matches, and a tea candle) and handed them to Dianna. "I think you need it."

Dianna took the ice cream and spoon reluctantly. She opened it and began eating as Analeigh sat down next to her.

"You know that you can always fix this, right?" Analeigh asked Dianna.

Dianna shrugged. "I don't know how. I'm not a people person like you, Analeigh."

Analeigh looked at her morosely. She then smiled. "Well, we're amazing, which implies that Spencer and Toby must be great, too. There's hope," she said.

"Don't you remember our thought on hope?"

Analeigh shrugged. "Every rule has an exception."

* * *

"What?!" Spencer heard Hanna screech from the other room. She looked over to Toby, who stayed the night (and no, nothing happened).

"What do you think Hanna is freaking out about?" Toby asked her quietly.

Spencer shrugged. She walked quietly out of the room. Toby followed her.

Hanna was shaking her hand incessantly. She was speaking on the phone. "No, it can't be possible. What do you mean, _she's gone?_"

Spencer and Toby exchanged a confused look.

"Well, maybe you should do your job and _find her! _She's a murderer!" she exclaimed before hanging up the phone. She turned around and saw Toby and Spencer. Her agitated state didn't weaken up at all. "That was the police. They went to arrest Aria and she's missing. They found Dianna and Analeigh in what used to be her apartment," she informed them.

"Did Aria do something to them?" Spencer demanded, her stress peeking through in her voice.

Hanna shook her head and Spencer breathed a sigh of relief. "They were there, looking for Aria. Dianna doesn't know, so Analeigh brought her to Aria's apartment so they could both talk to her. I guess Crazy knew she was getting arrested."

Spencer shook her head. She sat down on the couch and Toby sat next to her. "She broke her promise that she would turn herself in," she said.

"Are you really surprised, Spencer?" Toby asked, brushing away a stray hair gently.

"The girl is a snake," Hanna said, every word drenched in disgust.

Spencer shrugged. "But just after all she said…I really thought she was going to do the right thing, but I guess not."

Toby looked over to Hanna, who eyed Spencer cautiously. Picking up on the tense feeling in the air, he got the picture. "I think I should go. I was going to go get a coffee. Do you want me to—"

"Yes!" Spencer said, almost too enthusiastically.

Toby laughed to himself and walked out the door. Spencer and Hanna watched the door shut before Hanna walked over to Spencer. "Are you going to be okay?" she asked.

Spencer shrugged. "I'm going to be okay. I'm just really nervous about Dianna. She was getting along so well with Aria. This might crush her."

"Well, I take it that she already knew. Aria's apartment was cleared out when they were there," Hanna informed Spencer.

"Where do you think she went?" Spencer asked.

Hanna scoffed, "Probably to get some cheap dye job so she can fly back to Europe as Meagan."

Spencer sighed. "At least she probably won't be bothering us again," she said weakly.

"Did that bitch ever tell you why she did all of this?" Hanna asked.

"She told me that when I was pregnant, so was she. When I had Dianna and Analeigh, she was four months pregnant and her father wanted her to get an abortion. When she went to the doctor, he told her that she had already lost the baby. It was a little girl. She figured that was why she wanted to mess with Dianna and Analeigh; that was why she was always looking to get at a little girl who she knew wasn't hers," Spencer explained.

Hanna scoffed. "Sounds like she's sipping some of Melissa's cuckoo juice to me."

Spencer shrugged. For some reason, she just couldn't shake her defensiveness of Aria. "It's not all that weird. It's a psychological wanting she has for a child she lost. She's looking to fill that void she has now that she doesn't have a daughter," Spencer argued.

Hanna looked at Spencer sadly, wishing that, for once, Spencer was a little more like her.

* * *

"You know what we need to do, right?" Dianna asked.

Analeigh nodded. "I know what _you_ need to do."

Dianna frowned. "I know, Analeigh. I screwed up. You don't need to lay it on so thick," she retorted.

"Sorry. No filter," she said, throwing her hands up in surrender. "Do you want me to be there with you?" she asked.

Dianna thought about it for a minute, sighing. "Please come with me. I can't do this on my own. I need to apologize to both of our parents. I hope Toby is there," she said.

Analeigh nodded. She put the key in the ignition and they drove to Rosewood.

* * *

Toby had returned an hour later, Spencer's coffee in hand. Hanna was in her room for quite some time. Spencer realized that she probably didn't want to know what the blonde was up to in there. She was probably plotting some master plan to track Aria just so she could bitch slap her.

Spencer sat. She felt like she was waiting for something. What, she didn't know.

Spencer got her answer when there was a knock at the door. She opened it, surprised to see Analeigh and Dianna there. "Come in," she insisted. Analeigh stepped in like it was no big deal. Dianna was much more cautious.

Spencer did her best not to give her daughter the cold shoulder. If it were anyone else throwing around the accusations that Spencer had heard her daughter had, she would be probing them apart.

But then, Spencer had to remember that she was a young, naïve girl. All the trials and tribulations she had been put through as a child were different than what she had been put through now as a young woman. Spencer realized that if she were in the same situation, she might have believed Aria, as she was a person she trusted deeply and wouldn't question for a minute whether or not they were lying.

Analeigh prompted Dianna to get on with what she wanted to say. When she didn't, Analeigh cleared her throat. Finally, she said, "We came here because Dianna has something she wants to say to both of you. Dianna?" she asked hopefully.

Dianna bit her lip, not knowing where to start. "I came here to tell you that I'm sorry," she said finally.

Though she wasn't sure if Toby realized it, Spencer knew it was a big deal for someone with Hastings blood (which may as well be tiger blood) coursing through their veins.

"I'm sorry about thinking for even a second that you actually kidnapped me," she began, talking to Spencer. She turned to Toby. "And I'm sorry that I snapped at you. I was just…really blindsided to what Aria really was. I just never thought that someone who looked so sweet and innocent could be so…"

"Crazy? Psycho? Insane?" Analeigh offered eagerly.

Dianna could only nod.

Spencer looked at her daughter. There was no way that she could ever say that she didn't forgive her. Especially not when she saw the blue flecks shining in her eyes, pretty much begging for forgiveness. She sighed. She hugged Dianna, and Dianna gladly reciprocated the warmth in her embrace. "Of course, I'll accept your apology. Dianna, you don't ever have to feel like you're not accepted. You're my daughter, even if you haven't known me for most of your life. It doesn't change how much I love you," Spencer promised.

Dianna clung to her mother tightly. It just felt right calling Spencer her mother and Toby her father, because they were. Despite the seventeen years she didn't know them, they were always there with her, in her heart.

* * *

_I just want to let you know that I am on the brink of crying, because either tomorrow or Saturday, I'll be uploading the last chapter of this story and then, the only thing left is the epilogue :( _

_But I can truly say that it has been a pleasure having you guys as readers, and I would probably not have the stamina or the courage to do any of this without your support. It means a lot. And even if it's just one tiny little brunette from Staten Island, you made me smile so much every day with your lovely reviews. _

**_Forever Courage- _**_Wren will make an appearance (his final appearance) next chapter. I don't believe I wrote in anyone from Spencer's, Toby's, Dianna's, or Analeigh's past (except possibly Alison appears next chapter, but I don't really remember). I think most of you will be pleased with how this story ends. I know at least one person was predicting it, and I laughed when I read their review and mentioned what I had in mind..._

**_Hay_Briannnee: _**_Nope, I'll confirm that's a no. ...no comment... and most definitely!_

**_xxil0vey0u: _**_I'm really flattered. And if it's for one sole reason that I had control over, I guess it's just watching good TV shows and movies and being a really avid reader when I was younger (now...not so much. But I literally read all of Sarah Dessen's novels by the time I was in the sixth grade. I practically read all the good teen books by the time I was 11). _

**_Guest: _**_Hannakins is hilarious. I love her wit, so if anything, thank the writers of PLL for creating such a funny character and the lovely Ashley Benson for delivering her lines with such wit and candor. _

_I'll see you guys soon! __**-Kayson**_


	37. Chapter 37

**_Author's Note: _**_Please excuse me as I sob uncontrollably trying to upload this chapter. It has been such a great ride, and I can't believe you guys have stuck with me, toying with your emotions and feels. This is the last chapter :( and afterwards, I will upload the epilogue._

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

I nervously tapped my fingers on the arm of the salon chair, waiting for the woman. I looked around. On one side was a ditzy-looking redhead typing away on the newest iPhone. On the other, I could only see the back of the girl's head. Her hair was really wet and a very dark brown color. I turned to my own reflection in the mirror. I already knew, after a couple of years from switching from Aria to Meagan to another temporary identity, how to blend in and become unknown.

I waited anxiously for the colorist to come back. When she did, I didn't even notice.

"You're going to have to sit still so I get the dye in the right place," she said.

I broke out of my own worries and complied. I chewed on my lip nervously, hoping to get in and out of there ASAP.

"How much will that be?" I asked the stylist when she was finished.

Suddenly, the woman sitting in the salon chair beside me turned around. It was Emily.

_Oh, shit. _

"I can't believe it. It's you," she uttered.

My eyes widened, like a deer caught in headlights.

"I can't believe you, Aria," she said, standing up, now that her hair was done. "You did all of this and you tried to pin it all on Spencer and Toby? You're sick. And you murdered Mona?" she asked furiously.

I hushed her, not wanting the world to hear.

"Don't you at least owe it to them to turn yourself in?" Emily asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know anymore, okay?" I crossed my arms. "I've just been really…mixed up, lately." Wasn't that the understatement of the century?

* * *

"Spence? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Hanna asked when she emerged from her room, breaking up the happy family reunion for a minute.

"What happened, Hanna?" Spencer asked, just a little disappointed at having to leave her family. She looked over her shoulder at her two daughters, who were probably already giving Toby grief, and she smiled.

"I just got a phone call from Emily. She came across Aria getting her hair dyed at the salon, probably in preparation for her run from the law, and turned her in to the police. She's at the police station now. She's definitely going to jail for what she did to Mona, and they could give her so much more when they find out that she kidnapped Dianna. And we have solid proof," Hanna told Spencer.

Though Spencer still felt odd talking about her former friend, she was glad. "Really?" she asked, almost as if it were too good to be true.

Hanna nodded happily, hugging Spencer. "I'm going over to see Emily right now. And Spencer?"

Spencer looked at her expectantly.

"If you're going to do anything with Toby, make sure you don't do it in any unspeakable places. That includes any place where I might eat food," Hanna warned.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "Go, Han!"

Hanna smiled and left. Spencer returned to her family. _That's exactly what we are—a family._

* * *

Hanna was _such _a pretty little liar. She _was _going to meet Emily, but they were meeting to confront the same person. They heard from Melissa. Now, Aria made it very clear to Spencer why she did all of the horrible things she did. But there was still one person whose involvement was still a little hazy.

"Emily, you're a genius. I can't believe Wren really thought that it was Aria who sent him that text, though," Hanna said as she sat down next to Emily in the booth of the restaurant.

"No problem. Do you have the wig, though?"

Hanna pulled out an ombred wig, which so perfectly matched my tresses when dyed so I became Meagan. "Remember, Em. You have to hide when I put this on so it looks like it's just me. He'll notice. I know it," she promised.

Hanna left the booth to put on the wig in the bathroom. Emily waited for her anxiously. She looked around to make sure Wren wasn't there and wasn't coming. She tapped her fingers nervously on the countertop. Hanna returned a few moments later. Her hair looked dark. Emily wouldn't mention it out of fear of her dying her signature golden locks, but Hanna looked good as a brunette.

"How do I look?" Hanna asked nervously.

"Really good, Hanna. Just turn over here so he won't be able to tell."

Hanna nodded and looked at Emily, who was partially hiding underneath the table. She turned in such a way that only the back of her head was visible. She heard footsteps approaching and was disappointed when it was only a woman, who sat down in the booth next to theirs. A moment later, someone sat down across from them. Hanna looked up at Wren, who was surprised.

"Hanna?"

Hanna looked at him with ice blue eyes. "Wren."

Emily finally emerged from underneath the table. "I wouldn't run unless you want us to cry bloody murder," she warned.

He looked nervous at this.

"We have a proposal for you. Tell us everything that you know and why you hurt Spencer and her family, and we'll leave out that you were an accessory to first degree murder when we turn you in to the cops," Hanna said to Wren coldly.

He looked as though he was weighing his options.

"I'd take it if I were you, because first degree murder is a capital offense in the state of Pennsylvania," Emily reminded Wren.

Wren sighed. "I'll tell you why I wanted to do this. I wanted to get back at Spencer and Toby. Spencer, for making me think that we had something real and then just leaving me for him. I don't know why, but hurting her daughter made me feel like I was hurting Spencer. And Toby…well, because I don't like him and I thought Spencer could do better. I know that I may have ruined Dianna's life, but…it can't be all that bad. I mean, otherwise, she probably wouldn't have reunited with her sister and parents, right?"

Hanna and Emily were unconvinced. "There has to be more to the story," Emily said.

"I was younger and stupider. I didn't actually kidnap Dianna. I just soaked the house in gasoline. Melissa set the place on fire. Aria abducted Dianna. I had nothing to do with her after that; at least, I didn't until she showed up in Rosewood again. She started talking to me about doing something else for her, because we needed to cover our tracks, and they were close to uncovering what had happened fourteen years ago. I helped her get rid of the evidence because I thought they'd find a way to pin it all on me," he explained. "Please. You have to believe me."

Hanna and Emily exchanged another look, deciding something telepathically.

* * *

Spencer smiled as she saw Dianna and Analeigh leave her apartment. Behind her stood Toby. She sighed a sigh of relief, now that it was probably all ending and she could breathe again.

"Spencer, are you okay?" Toby asked her.

She turned and looked into his blue eyes. It was the first time in months she could look in them without feeling like her heart was breaking. "I'm better than okay. This is the best I've been in…seventeen years," Spencer guessed.

He smiled. "I'm really glad."

Spencer wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head on his chest. "I know you just broke up with your fiancé, but I need you to know how much I'm still in love with you," she whispered, not even sure if he heard her.

But he did. "I'm still in love with you, too. I never loved her. And why stand around when the person you love the most is right in front of you?" he questioned.

Before Spencer could argue, she felt her lips against Toby's, and she moaned in appreciation. "I guess…when you put it that way…" she teased before kissing him again. She embraced him, not wanting him to ever let her go. "Maybe we could finally have the family I always dreamt of," she murmured.

"No, Spence." She looked at him in alarm, suddenly nervous. "It's the family _we_ always dreamed of. It might have taken seventeen years, but they're both here now."

Spencer smiled. "I'm so happy to have them back. I just love them so much. I love them even more because they're half of you. That makes them my second favorite people in the world. I just can't overlook the Hastings part of them. They're a little bit intimidating. Now I can see why people call me scary," she joked.

"You're really scary," he teased.

"Hey!" she shouted, but not being able to contain her own laughs, she kissed Toby once more.

She was sure of one thing—when you loved someone as much as she loved her family, you could never forget or abandon that love. It was the kind of love that will stick with a person forever, and cling tightly to them until they were already six feet under. Although they weren't married and they hadn't said those vows (not yet, anyway), Spencer knew that her feelings for Toby would not part until death, maybe even beyond. It was limitless, and would extend forever for Toby, Dianna, and Analeigh.

* * *

_I'm very sad that this is the last chapter of Forget Me Not. I still have the epilogue (which I will hopefully upload tomorrow, but no promises). Right now, I would like to thank all of you readers and reviewers. I would especially like to thank: __**soapgirl411, once a little liar, onedirection2013, **__and __**dreamcatch3r, **__you guys have been there since the very beginning; __**Carsasa Allakay**__ and__** infinitydreamzz **__for reaching out and PMing me, your PMs really made me feel great about this story; __**sylviecake231**__ for being such a great reviewer and being so passionate about this story; __**reneexotyler15 **__for being so faithful to this story, even though I may have broken your Sparia-shipping heart; __**the lights of paris**__, you have been such a great reviewer, a passionate reader, and your story kind of helped me get out of a writing funk, so thank you; __**dnprociuk**__, you've also been there since the beginning, and you're from Staten Island, so that makes you pretty cool in my book; __**Forever Courage, **__for being very passionate about the story; __**xxil0vey0uxx,**__ for being very consistent and supportive, as I know I haven't really PMed you lately, but I think you understand that I really just want to get this story finished and the other in good standing; __**HayBriannnee, **__for being so interested in this story and so inquisitive with your questions; __**Guest (DedicatedToSpoby), **__your review made me cry, which is exactly what I needed; and __**Guest (Lily) **__for giving me some ideas of my own. Last but certainly not least, I'd like to thank everyone and anyone who has read my story. Though you might not realize it, I'm sure that I wouldn't have finished this story without you, so I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. __**-Kayson**_


	38. Epilogue

**_Author's Note: _**_I'm very sad to upload this final piece of "Forget Me Not". It's a bittersweet feeling, but I assure you that it's not the last you'll see of me on this website! I have another story uploaded called "Begin Again", and I'm currently working on a couple pieces to upload once "Begin Again" is in good standing. Here is the very last piece of "Forget Me Not"! I hope you enjoy it and are pleasantly surprised by the little surprise I threw your way._

* * *

**Epilogue**

_Sixteen months later—July_

"Hanna and Analeigh are coming back from New York today!" said an excited Spencer as she shuffled a deck of cards. After Analeigh graduated from high school and Hanna's boutique got very successful, the two had gone to New York; Hanna, to open up a store in SoHo, and Analeigh to go to college. Spencer couldn't have been prouder of the both of them. "Dianna came home from college a month ago, but she's been travelling around, looking for work over the summer." Dianna had gotten into UPenn (how very Hastings of her), and she loved it there.

"Have you spoken to Wren? I heard that after he turned himself in to the police about Dianna, he was deported and sent back to England," Spencer said. I already knew.

I stared at Spencer. I loved her, and at the same time, I loathed her. Maybe it was because how, despite all the hardships I had put her through, she managed to be so happy and defy us all. She beat us without really even trying and she was extremely happy.

I just looked at the cards she placed in front of me. I hadn't really spoken much these days.

She sighed in defeat. "I can play one last game of 31 before I have to go home. I invited Hanna and Analeigh over for dinner. We have a really big announcement to make."

I paused before I said, "You should probably go now, then. I would hate for you to keep them waiting."

I could feel Spencer looking down at me, but I didn't look up at her. "Just go, Spencer," I said, my voice lacking in emotion.

"Can I ask you a question, Aria?"

It was the first time I heard Spencer use my name in ages.

"I've done so much for you, even after you did all of these things to me. I kept you from going to jail for the rest of your life, Aria. I think the least you could do is look at me while I'm talking to you," she snapped at me before she threw the deck of cards on the table.

* * *

However, Spencer's meeting with me barely put a damper on her plans. She had such a healthy glow these days. She walked inside the house she shared with Toby to see that Hanna and Analeigh had already arrived. She went over to give Analeigh a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, Mom. You look so beautiful," Analeigh said.

Spencer smiled. "You do, too." Spencer was glad that Analeigh had finally gotten accustomed to calling Spencer her mother.

Spencer turned to give Hanna a hug. Hanna hugged her eagerly. "Spence! I've missed my partner in crime!" Hanna exclaimed as she hugged Spencer.

"Has Dianna showed up yet?" Spencer asked as she pulled away from them.

Analeigh shook her head. There was a knock at the door. Toby came downstairs and opened the door. Dianna walked inside. She hugged her father.

"So you said you had big news to tell us all?" Hanna asked.

Spencer nodded and smiled. Dianna greeted the three of them eagerly. Toby took a seat next to Spencer and held her hand. The diamonds on her engagement ring and wedding band glistened slightly as she moved them.

"Spencer, you're killing me with the suspense here," Hanna complained.

Dianna and Analeigh laughed. Spencer sighed. "It's really big news." She turned to Toby before saying it. "I'm pregnant," she said.

Hanna was the only person who knew the full extent of how much she wanted and tried to conceive a child in her twenties and later early thirties. A person isn't as fertile in their later thirties, and conceiving for Spencer was hard enough as it was. She was the most shocked.

"Are you girls upset?" Spencer asked nervously.

Analeigh and Dianna shook their heads incessantly.

"I'm so happy for you, Mom!" Dianna exclaimed before hugging Spencer.

Analeigh smiled. "I'm so happy to be a big sister," she added.

Spencer smiled gratefully. Toby squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I guess it's just a lot easier when you're not trying and you're with a person you love," she commented.

Hanna smiled for her friends. She broke the two out of their happy, oblivious state. "Okay, so I want all the details when you get them. How far along? When are they due? Is it a boy or a girl?" she asked.

"Six weeks, March, and we're not sure yet, but we want to wait, though we might just be tempted to find out before the baby is born," Spencer said.

"I think it's a girl," Toby confessed.

"I think it's a boy," Spencer disagreed.

"Girl!" Toby argued.

"Boy!" Spencer shouted.

"Girl!"

"Boy!"

Hanna sighed a happy sigh. She turned to Dianna and Analeigh. "Some things just never change."

Analeigh and Dianna smiled. They looked over at their parents who were more in love than they ever had been. Sure, the road leading up to this was long and certainly not easy, but some things were worth the journey. Love was always worth that journey, no matter what the risk was.

Analeigh thought about the entire story. _To think it all started with a search for the perfect heels…_

Likewise, Dianna thought of how it all started for her. _I guess now I have Alison to thank for everything._

Spencer and Toby thought similarly. _It all started with a game of Scrabble. That was what made me fall the hardest. _

And Hanna sat by through it all. One day, she was going to write a story about it. She knew it would be a bestseller, because it was the best story ever told. It was even better than _Romeo and Juliet. _Hanna suddenly knew why. Spencer and Toby _were _Juliet and Romeo, except their story? It had a happy ending.

* * *

_As I'm finishing this, I was told that I have to dedicate this book. I would say I dedicate this book to all the people who doubted me, but this story is so good, I don't think you guys deserve to have this dedicated to you. So I would like to dedicate this story to my family. Though we can be dysfunctional, I don't think I'd be capable of this without your support. Thank you, Mom, for supporting me in whatever I do. Thank you, Dad, for getting me the books and the computer and everything which I use to write this story. Thank you also for your Friday night stories which give me so many ideas. Thank you, Grandma, for most of Hanna's lines. I have never met a more sarcastic person in my life. I'd also like to thank a couple of other people. Thank you, Ms. Sanchez, because I know I wouldn't be able to do this without you believing in my writing. Thank you, Michelle and Julien, for being there through everything. You guys are really my best friends. Thank you, Amanda and Meghan, because you guys just keep me so entertained (and also inspired some of Hanna's antics). And I can't say it enough, but I thank you readers for being there through it all. I never thought this was possible, but you guys believed in me and you made me believe in me. __**-Kayson**_


End file.
